Determination method, determination system, determination device, and program

ABSTRACT

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a technique for determining the authenticity of a product without requiring a special device such as an integrated circuit (IC) tag. A means for solving this problem according to the invention is characterized by determining the authenticity of a target product on the basis of the validity of the association between the body of the product and a surface-treated component that is mounted to the body and that has been validated.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/507,322, filed Feb. 28, 2017, which is a National Stage Entry ofInternational Application No. PCT/JP2015/074773, filed Aug. 31, 2015,which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-177408,filed Sep. 1, 2014. The entire contents of the above-referencedapplications are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a determination method, a determinationsystem, a determination device, and a program.

BACKGROUND ART

For a quality control and a distribution control, recently, needs forverification and identification to products increases in molds, in unitsof lots, or in units of individual. To cope with the above, an RFID forperforming data communication through a radio communication system isbuilt into a product. Further, a comprehensive merchandise managementfrom production to a physical distribution, sales, and the like of theproduct, loss prevention, theft prevention, forgery prevention, or thelike of merchandise is performed.

In a technology of Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, forexample, an RFID chip is arranged at a fastener that is fixed on anarticle. Through the above configuration, the verification for aphysical distribution management, an authenticity assessment ofmerchandise, or the like can be performed by using data stored in amemory of the RFID chip.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.2009-187580

Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.2002-125721

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

However, there is a problem that in a technology of patent literatures,for example, high costs are required to build an RFID chip into anarticle like a fastener one by one. Further, depending on products suchas semiconductors, even an ordinary tag cannot be also fixed, to saynothing of special device such as an RFID chip, in many cases.

The present invention is made to solve the above problem. Therefore, thepurpose of the present invention is to provide a verification method, averification system, a verification apparatus, and a program thereforthat do not require a special device such as an IC tag, and are capableof verify products.

Solution to Problem

The invention of the present application for solving the above describedproblem is directed to an authenticity determining method of, based onwhether a correspondence relationship between a part, validity of whichis confirmed and to which surface treatment is applied, and which ismounted on a body of a product that is an authenticity target, and saidbody is right or wrong, reaching a determination about authenticity ofsaid product.

The invention of the present application for solving the above describedproblem is directed to an authenticity determining apparatus configuredto, based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part,validity of which is confirmed and to which surface treatment isapplied, and which is mounted on a body of a product that is anauthenticity target, and said body is right or wrong, reach adetermination about authenticity of said product.

The invention of the present application for solving the above describedproblem is directed to an authenticity determining system configured to,based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part, validityof which is confirmed and to which surface treatment is applied, andwhich is mounted on a body of a product that is an authenticity target,and said body is right or wrong, reach a determination aboutauthenticity of said product.

The invention of the present application for solving the above describedproblem is directed to a program for an authenticity determiningapparatus, said program causing said authenticity determining apparatusto execute: based on whether a correspondence relationship between apart, validity of which is confirmed and to which surface treatment isapplied, and which is mounted on a body of a product that is anauthenticity target, and said body is right or wrong, processing forreaching a determination about authenticity of said product.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, even if a special device such as anIC tag is not introduced, merchandise can be verified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a reference section and a collation area.

FIG. 3 illustrates another reference section and collation area.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a management information retrieval systemaccording to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a terminal device retrieving management information.

FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining an overview of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining a black surface region of a covering lid.

FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining an image obtained by imaging a texturedsurface using the present invention and an image obtained by imagingwithout using the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of an imaging aid accordingto a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying a state in which an object is fit tothe imaging aid according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modification example of the imaging aidaccording to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a modification example of the imaging aidaccording to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modification example of the imaging aidaccording to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration of an imaging deviceaccording to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mobile terminalaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining a relative position attitude between thelight source of the portable terminal and the camera and the collationarea.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an exemplifying of a display screen onwhich a reference image is displayed.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an exemplifying of a display screen onwhich a reference image is displayed.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a process in which a mobile terminaldownloads a reference image from a database via the network.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an alternative of an imagingapparatus.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a view for illustrating a textured pattern of a leatherproduct.

FIG. 24 is a view for illustrating a fastener 10 as an example of anarticle.

FIG. 25 is a view for illustrating an adapter 13.

FIG. 26 is a block diagram of a modification according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 27 is a configuration diagram illustrating a verification system ofthe fastener according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a configuration diagram illustrating the verification systemof the fastener according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a configuration diagram illustrating the verification systemof the fastener according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 30 is an example of a block diagram illustrating a verificationapparatus of a verification system of the present invention.

FIG. 31 is a view for illustrating an example of a verification area.

FIG. 32 is an example of a block diagram according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a view for illustrating a product to be verified.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of operationsaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is an example of a block diagram according to a third embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of operationsaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is an example of a block diagram according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of registrationoperations according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39 is an example of a block diagram according to the fourthembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 40 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of registrationoperations according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 41 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of operations fordistribution authentication according to the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 42 is an example of a block diagram according to a sixth embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 43 is a flowchart for illustrating an example of operationsaccording to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 44 is a diagram for explaining a skeleton part of an identificationmark.

FIG. 45 is a diagram for explaining the product to be identified.

FIG. 46 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment 6-1.

FIG. 47 is a block diagram of an embodiment 6-2.

FIG. 48 is a diagram showing an exemplary image feature database.

FIG. 49 is a block diagram of an embodiment 6-3.

FIG. 50 is a diagram showing an exemplary image feature database.

FIG. 51 is a block diagram of an embodiment 6-4.

FIG. 52 is a diagram showing an exemplary image feature database.

FIG. 53 is a block diagram of an embodiment 6-5.

FIG. 54 is a block diagram of an embodiment 7-1.

FIG. 55 is a diagram showing an exemplary each database.

FIG. 56 is a block diagram of an embodiment 7-2.

FIG. 57 is a diagram showing an exemplary the determination resultdatabase.

FIG. 58 is diagrams illustrating clustering.

FIG. 59 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the invention of thepresent application.

FIG. 60 is a diagram depicting an example of a map display.

FIG. 61 illustrates granularities of textured patterns.

FIG. 62 is a block diagram of an embodiment 8-1 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 63 is a block diagram of an embodiment 8-2 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 64 exemplifies an image feature database.

FIG. 65 is a block diagram of an embodiment 8-3 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 66 is a block diagram of an embodiment 8-4 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 67 illustrates granularities of textured patterns.

FIG. 68 illustrates granularities of textured patterns.

FIG. 69 is a block diagram of an embodiment 9-1 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 70 is a block diagram of an embodiment 9-2 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 71 is a block diagram of an embodiment 9-3 according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 72 is a block diagram of an embodiment 9-4 according to the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is ablock diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a productcollation/retrieval system includes an imaging unit 1 capturing, while apredetermined section defined in a product is set to a referencesection, an image of the product including at least the referencesection; a product feature extraction unit 2 detecting from the imagecaptured by the imaging unit 1 the reference section of the product andextracting, while a recessed portion existing at a standard positionrelative to the detected reference section of the product is set to acollation area, an image feature in the collation area of the product; astorage unit 3 storing the extracted image feature of the collation areaof the product; an imaging unit 4 capturing an image including at leastthe reference section of a product to be collated; a to-be-collatedproduct feature extraction unit 5 detecting from the image captured bythe imaging unit 4 the reference section of the product to be collatedand extracting an image feature of the collation area of the detectedreference section; and a collation/retrieval unit 6 collating the storedimage feature with the image feature of the collation area of theproduct to be collated.

In the present invention, while the predetermined section defined in theproduct is set to the reference section, a portion or a whole of therecessed portion (i.e., the portion lower than the adjacent area)existing at the standard position relative to the reference section isset to the collation area. The present invention is characterized byperforming the collation and the retrieval of the product by using adifference of a surface design (i.e., an image pattern) in the collationarea of the product.

Here, examples of the predetermined section defined in the productinclude a trademark, a logotype, a name of manufacturer, a manufacturingcompany, a brand name, a product name, a product number, and a sectionmarked, branded, pressed, or attached on/to the product. The trademark,the logotype, the name of manufacturer, the manufacturing company, thebrand name, the product name, the product number, and the sectionmarked, branded, pressed, or attached on/to the product are set to thereference section. The sections of the products of the same kindcommonly have the same pattern and have a characteristic appearance.Therefore, setting of the sections to the reference sectionadvantageously facilitates detection of a position and a posture of thereference section in the image upon collation.

Meanwhile, the reference section is not needed to be changed for eachindividual. Therefore, a cost can be effectively saved comparing to theconventional means in which a different identifier, e.g., a differentmanagement tag, is provided to the each individual.

Further, in the present invention, while a portion or a whole of therecessed portion (i.e., the portion lower than the adjacent area)existing at the standard position relative to the reference section ofthe product is set to the collation area, collation and retrieval of theproduct is performed by using the difference of the surface design inthe collation area of the product. The recessed portion (i.e., theportion lower than the adjacent area), as the collation area, is morescratch-resistant and stain-resistant than the other portions, i.e., isadvantageous in keeping the surface design pattern as it is in the areafor the use of collation/retrieval.

The stain that was produced naturally by a process ofproduction/processing of a product, minute unevenness, patterns, and thelike be able to be given as the patterns in the area incollation/retrieval. Specifically, the minute unevenness is naturallyformed on a surface of a molten metal, resin, or a ceramic part in thecourse of manufacturing them. Thus formed unevenness pattern differs foreach individual. Normally, such unevenness is removed during finishingprocess such as polishing for functional and aesthetic purposes.However, such finishing process is not provided to the recessed portionin many cases, and thus the pattern remains as it is in the recessedportion. According to the present invention, such a section is specifiedfor the use of identification/retrieval of a target individual.Similarly, a minute unevenness pattern is generated at a change portionof the product during also cutting process and pressing process, which,however, is usually removed during the finishing process. The pattern,however, still remains as it is in the recessed portion in many cases.On the other hand, it is also possible to intentionally form minuteunevenness of the surface pattern of the product on the collation areaby a mold. In the present application, such intentionally formed onesare also included.

The collation area may be defined at a position away from the referencesection. Further, if the reference section itself includes the recessedportion as a result of marking process, branding process, or pressingprocess, a portion or a whole of the reference section can be set to thecollation area.

A product to which the present invention is applied should not beconstrued in a limiting sense insofar as the product includes a surfacedifferent for each individual product. Specific examples of the productinclude a leather product, a metal workpiece, a wood product, moltenresin, and an industrial product including a ceramic portion (e.g., asemiconductor chip). Also, examples of the surface pattern of theproduct include a surface design of the leather product or the woodproduct and minute unevenness of the molten resin or the ceramicportion. The surface pattern is, for example, a graining, a texturedpattern, blasting, etching, powder coating, or the like. Many offastening products or the leather product is formed the textured patternand grain processing. In addition, the textured pattern is often used ona package surface of electronic parts.

Next, a structure of each unit will be described below.

The imaging unit 1 belongs to a producer or a distributor (i.e., aproduction company of an industrial product) or a parson managingdistribution and a quality control of products during the course ofdistribution of the products. By using the imaging unit 1, for example,the producer captures the images of the reference section and thecollation area of the product. The imaging unit 1 may be equipped withan additional device for capturing the image of the reference section ofthe product. Alternatively, it is possible to use a digital camera witha CCD or a CMOS and a collation device. A file format of the capturedimage may be anything. For example, the file format may be a JPEG.

Meanwhile, the producer includes a person engaged in production (e.g., aproduction company of an industrial product), and the distributorincludes a person engaged in distribution or quality control of productsduring the distribution of the products (e.g., a wholesaler, a retailshop, and an agent).

The product feature extraction unit 2 detects the reference section fromthe image captured by the imaging unit 1 and extracts the image featureof the recessed portion (i.e., the portion lower than the adjacentarea), as the collation area, existing at the standard position relativeto the reference section of the product. Therefore, the product featureextraction unit 2 stores in advance the feature of the reference sectionof the product and, based on the feature, detects the reference sectionfrom the image captured by the imaging unit 1. At the time, the productfeature extraction unit 2 normalizes the collation area determined inadvance by reference to the reference section based on the position andthe posture of the reference section on the image to thereby extract animage feature of the normalized collation area. Extraction of the imagefeature can be performed by an extraction technique in which, forexample, an image feature of a fingerprint is extracted by using abrightness value, a feature point, an inflection point of a line of abinarized image, an intersection point, an end point, and a center pointof an image. Thus extracted image feature is stored in the storage unit3. Meanwhile, the product recorded (i.e., registered) in the recordingunit 3 is hereinafter referred to as registered product.

A method of normalization of a collation domain is described now. Thenormalization method of a collation area is feasible, for example, byregistering a common feature (a pattern) as a template image in the sameproduct previously and performing template matching. Additionally, thenormalization method of a collation area is feasible by matching edges,corners or the like of feature points or local feature in the templateimage. In addition, the normalization method of the image is not limitedby these. The normalization method of the image should be existingaligning technique of an image or normalization technique.

Practically, highly precise collation is enabled so that an error of aposition gap in normalization disposal of images is small. Techniquewith subpixels level as, for example, Lucas Kanade method (non-patentdocument: B. D. Lucas and T. Kanade, “An Iterative Image RegistrationTechnique with an Application to Stereo Vision,” in Proc. of Int. JointConf. on Artificial Intelligence, pp. 674˜679, August 1981).

A template image can use the image which photographed a reference partof one arbitrary same product. Practically, an image feature (An imagefeature to use for individual identification) in every individual of aproduct becomes a noise. This noise can lead to an error ofnormalization processing. Therefore it is desirable to use a featureonly for the pattern that the same product is common to as a templateimage. As an example, there is a method of manually adjusting thepositions of images obtained by imaging the reference parts of pluralindividuals on the same product and calculating the average luminance ofall the images after adjust. By this method, it is possible to suppresserrors among individuals and generate the template images havingfeatures common to the same product. In addition, a feature of areference part is not limited only by a preparation method of the abovementioned template image. A feature of a reference part may be got byapplying technique based on existing machine learning and statisticaltechnique using a lot of images of same product.

Further, by setting a useful weight for the image normalizationprocessing on the template image, it is possible to improve the accuracyof the image normalization processing. For example, it is realized byincreasing the weight of a region of a pattern common to the sameproduct such as a logo or a trademark in a template image, and reducingthe weight for a textured region where individual differences betweenthe same products are likely to occur.

Incidentally, the method of setting the weight for the template is notlimited to the above mentioned method. For example, a method based onexisting machine learning or a statistical method may be used for alarge amount of images of the same product.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the reference section of the productand an example of the collation area thereof. In FIG. 2, a logotype 10,i.e., “XYZ”, marked on a wallet is set to the reference section. Underthe condition, a portion where “X” of the “XYZ” is marked and thus isformed into a recessed portion (i.e., a portion lower than the adjacentarea) is set to the collation area (i.e., an inside portion of a dottedline). More specifically, the recessed portion of the reference sectionis set to the collation area.

Since normally the same logotype 10 is used, storing of a feature of thelogotype 10 as the reference section facilitates identification of aposition and a posture of the logotype 10. If the position and theposture of the logotype 10 can be identified by normalization thereof,the position and the posture of the collation area can be specified bynormalization. As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 2, it is possible toextract an image feature of the surface design of the wallet as thecollation area.

Meanwhile, this is a mere example and should not be construed in alimiting sense. For example, the recessed portion (i.e., the portionlower than the adjacent area) of all the letters “XYZ” of the logotype10 can be set to the collation area.

FIG. 3 illustrates another example. In FIG. 3, a label 12 attached to ametal workpiece is set to the reference section. For example, the metalworkpiece is subjected to press working, and an inside of the recessedportion (i.e., a portion lower than the adjacent portion resulted fromthe press working) is set to a collation area 13 existing at a standardposition relative to the label 12. In FIG. 3, also, since the label 12is commonly attached to every product, it is easy to detect the label12. Also, even if the collation area 13 is positioned away from thelabel 12, only with the detection of the label 12, the collation area 13positioned relative to the position of the label 12 can also bedetected. For example, referring to a lower left top of the label 12 asa reference point, a position X mm away from the lower left topdownwardly by 45 degrees is defined as a center of the collation area13. The position and a size of the collation area 13 may be defined andstored in advance in such a manner that a circular area having a radiusof r mm from the center is set to the collation area 13.

Further, the image feature of the registered product may be stored afterthe image feature of the registered product is associated withmanufacturing information including a factory name, a producer name, alot number, a production date, and quality information, and managementinformation including a shipping point, a ship date, and distributioninformation of the product. This enables acquisition of also managementinformation of the collated product. Thus, this also enablesdistribution management and quality control of the product.

The imaging unit 4 and the to-be-collated product feature extractionunit 5 belong to a person who performs collation of the product, e.g., aretailer, a distribution manager, and a consumer and are configuredsimilarly to the imaging unit 1 and the product feature extraction unit2, respectively.

A collation/retrieval unit 6 collates the image feature of the collationarea of the product to be collated, extracted by the to-be-collatedproduct feature extraction unit 5, with the image feature of theregistered collation area stored in the storage unit 3. As a result, ifa matching point is found therebetween, the collation/retrieval unit 6determines that the product to be collated is the registered product.Here, collation of the image feature is performed in the followingmanner. For example, considering an end point, an intersection point,and corners of the line of the surface pattern as the feature points, anarrangement of the feature points are collated. If the number ofarrangements of the feature points of which positions are matched (i.e.,within a range of a certain threshold) is equal to or more than apredetermined number, the collation/retrieval unit 6 considers it as thesame product. Such collation technology can employ the known fingerprintmatching technology.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a collationdetermination of the product can be performed without use of a specifictag. At the same time, distribution of the product duly delivered fromthe producer and/or the distributor of the product can be controlled. Asa result, fraud on the product such as an evil replacement of theproduct can be eliminated or reduced. Furthermore, it is unnecessary toread/write information on the product in the tag. Therefore, there is noneed for a device to perform them.

Specifically, a portion having a pattern common to the products of thesame kind is set to the reference section, and a portion or a whole ofthe recessed portion (i.e., the portion lower than the adjacent area)existing at the standard position relative to the reference section ofthe product is set to the collation area. A difference of the surfacedesign in the collation area of the product is used in collation. Thisfacilitates detection of the collation area. The recessed portion (i.e.,the portion lower than the adjacent area), as the collation area, ismore scratch-resistant and stain-resistant than the other portions,i.e., is advantageous in keeping a pattern, such as a surface design andminute unevenness within the area for collation/retrieval.

Further, if the manufacturing information including a production site, afactory name, a producer name, a lot number, a production date, andquality of the product, and the distribution information including ashipping point and a ship date of the product are associated with theimage feature of the product in a corresponding manner to be stored, forexample, the consumer is capable of also obtaining history informationof the product.

Now, the management information retrieval system using the collationsystem according to the above described embodiment will be describedbelow. The management information retrieval system of this embodiment ismade to satisfy a demand for retrieving management information about alot number of the product and a line number of the production site inthe case where the system extracts a product from many products toperform a quality test of the product in a manner similar to theacceptance sampling of the factory.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the management informationretrieval system. As shown in FIG. 4, the management informationretrieval system includes a feature extraction apparatus 100 belongingto a side of a leather wallet manufacturer, a collation/retrieval server200 performing collation, and a collation device 300 belonging to a sideof the quality control authority.

The image feature extraction apparatus 100 includes an imaging unit 101,a product feature extraction unit 102, and a transmission unit 103. Theimaging unit 101 and the product feature extraction unit 102 areconfigured similarly to the above described imaging unit 1 and theproduct feature extraction unit 2, respectively. The transmission unit103 transmits the image feature of the collation area of the walletextracted by the product feature extraction unit 102 and the managementinformation (including a production site, a producer name, a lot number,a production date, and quality information) for the collation thereof.

A collation server 200 includes a database 201, a to-be-retrievedproduct feature extraction unit 202, and a collation/retrieval unit 203.The to-be-retrieved product feature extraction unit 202 and thecollation/retrieval unit 203 are configured similarly to the abovedescribed to-be-collated product feature extraction unit 5 and thecollation/retrieval unit 6, respectively. The database 201 stores theimage feature of the collation area of each wallet of the productstransmitted from the image feature extraction apparatus 100 belonging tothe side of the producer after the image feature is associated with themanagement information of the wallet.

A collation device 300 includes an imaging unit 301 and a transmissionand reception unit 302. The imaging unit 301 is configured similarly tothe above described imaging unit 4. The transmission unit 302 transmitsan image of the wallet captured by the imaging unit 301 to the collationserver 200. Also, the transmission unit 302 receives a retrieval resultfrom the collation server 200.

Now, an operation of the above described configuration will be describedbelow. First, a registration operation of the image feature of thesurface design in the collation area of the wallet will be described.

The producer registers in advance, while the portion marked and thusrecessed (i.e., that is lowered more than the adjacent area) on thelogotype 10 is set to the collation area, the image feature of thelogotype 10 marked on the wallet as illustrated in FIG. 2 and theposition of the collation area in the product feature extraction unit102.

Next, an imaging unit 101 captures an image of the surface of the walletincluding the logotype 10 and the collation area determined withreference to the logotype 10.

The product feature extraction unit 102 detects the logotype 10 from thecaptured image of the wallet and extracts the image feature of thesurface design of the recessed portion in the collation area determinedwith reference to the detected logotype 10. At this time, the productfeature extraction unit 102 normalizes the collation area determinedwith reference to the logotype 10 based on the position and the postureof the logotype 10 on the image to extract the image feature of thenormalized collation area.

The producer inputs the management information (e.g., information abouta production site, a producer name, a lot number, a production date, andquality information) of the wallet thus captured into the image featureextraction apparatus 100. Then, the transmission unit 103 transmits theimage feature of the wallet and the management information of the walletto the collation server 200. This processing is repeated for the numberof products the producer desires to register.

In the collation server 200, the image feature of the wallet and themanagement information of the wallet from the image feature extractionapparatus 100 belonging to the producer are registered in the database201.

Now, an operation of the retrieval processing will be described below.

An administrator captures an image of the surface design of the walletcorresponding to the collation area including the logotype 10 by theimaging unit 301 of the collation device 300 in order to performcollation of a wallet to be collated. The captured image is transmittedto the collation server 200 by the transmission and reception unit 302.

A to-be-retrieved product feature extraction apparatus 202 of thecollation server 200 detects the logotype 10 of the wallet to beretrieved from the received image by a method similar to the abovedescribed one to extract an image feature of the surface design of thecollation area from the detected logotype 10. Then, the to-be-retrievedproduct feature extraction apparatus 202 outputs the extracted imagefeature to the collation/retrieval unit 203.

In the collation/retrieval unit 203, an image feature having the highestsimilarity to the received image feature of the product to be retrievedis retrieved from the image features registered in the database 201.Then, the collation/retrieval unit 203 reads out the managementinformation associated with the image feature to transmit the same tothe collation device 300. Here, the collation/retrieval unit 203 is notconfigured such that the image feature having the similarity more than apredetermined threshold is retrieved in order to perform the collationsuch as the authenticity determination, but is configured such that theimage feature having the highest similarity to the image feature of theproduct to be retrieved is retrieved from the image features registeredin the database 201. This is because, during the quality test, a fakeproduct is least likely to be contaminated. In other words, theauthenticity determination processing that strictly checks the possiblefake product against a genuine product is not needed here.

The collation device 300 receives the management information from thecollation server 200 and notifies the received management information tothe administrator.

According to this embodiment, as described above, even without specificequipment, the administrator can retrieve the management information ofa specific product among a lot of products.

Meanwhile, in the above described embodiment, the product featureextraction unit 102 initially extracting the image feature of theproduct has been illustrated as being disposed on the device belongingto the producer. It is also possible for the to-be-retrieved productfeature extraction unit 202 of the collation server 200 to share theroll. In this case, the image of the collation area of the product istransmitted from the side of the producer.

Further, the above described embodiment has been illustrated asperforming the retrieval processing by the collation server 200 from theside of the administrator via communication. It is also possible to download in advance features and management information of the surfacedesign of the leather product from a database, e.g., the database 201registering the image feature of the surface design and managementinformation of the leather product, to perform the retrieval processingwithout using the communication.

Such management information retrieval apparatus includes, as shown inFIG. 5, a storage unit 300 storing the image feature of the surfacedesign and the management information of the registered leather productregistered by, for example, the producer, the imaging unit 301, theto-be-retrieved product feature extraction unit 302, acollation/retrieval unit 303, and a display unit 304. The imaging unit301, the to-be-retrieved product feature extraction unit 302, and thecollation/retrieval unit 303 are configured similarly to the abovedescribed imaging unit, the to-be-retrieved product feature extractionunit, and the collation/retrieval unit, respectively. The display unit304 displays, for example, the management information of thecollation/retrieval unit 303.

Embodiment 2

In above mentioned embodiment, individual difference of minuteunevenness in the surface of a product is utilized for authenticationand collation. For this case, it is necessary to get the captured imagewhich it is stable, and can extract the same feature point each time ofregistration time and collation time after registration in order to geta stable collation result. There is a need for an image apparatuscapable of acquiring the image in which an emphasized contrast of minutesurface unevenness of object.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relates to an imaging aidand an imaging device imaging minute concave and convex portions of asurface design of an object. Exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention are detailed as follows.

The overview of the present invention is described with reference toFIG. 6. An imaging aid according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention is an imaging aid aiding imaging of a predeterminedregion of a surface having minute concave and convex portions and beingsubject to intense specular reflection (e.g., a textured surface havinga textured pattern), of an object, and includes a light source unit 61irradiating light, and a cover lid 62 having a shape to cover apredetermined region of a surface of an object, a part of a surface ofthe cover lid 62 corresponding to a predetermined angular range from thenormal line direction directly opposing the predetermined region beingblack and absorbing light, and another surface of the cover lid 62corresponding to another angular range is formed by a light-sourcesurface diffusing and emitting light irradiated from the light sourceunit 61. It is possible to use the macro lens built-in camera, mobilephone, or smartphone, etc. attached to such an imaging aid.

For example, the cover lid 62 is formed to be parallel to the texturedsurface, is provided with an imaging hole through which image capturingis performed from the normal line direction of the textured surface, andincludes an upper portion having a region opposing the textured surfacebeing black, and a side portion formed to be vertical to the uppersurface and made of a material diffusing light of the light source unit61.

The black surface region of the cover lid 62 is determined by theangular range of a dark region θ and the angular range of a light regionϕ with respect to the normal line of a surface in a verification regionof the textured surface of an object (e.g., top surface of the convexportion at the center of the verification region). In this way, thedistribution of the black surface and the diffusing surface isdetermined solely by the angular range with respect to the normal linedirection of the textured surface, and its form and angle of the surfaceis arbitrary. In other words, although the diffusing material's surfaceis explained to be vertical to the black surface in the above, this isone example, and its form and arrangement angle are arbitrary. The blacksurface may not also be plane, and may have an arbitrary form as long asit covers all the range of the angle θ from the normal line direction ofthe textured surface.

Since the black surface region of the cover lid 62 does not reflect theillumination light from the light source unit 1, the top portion of theconvex portion of the textured surface directly opposing the cameramounted to the imaging hole of the upper surface is imaged to be black.As shown in FIG. 7, there is a relation between the size of the blacksurface region of the cover lid 62 and the angular range θ of the darkregion, such as the larger the angular range θ of the black dark region,the larger gets the black surface region of the cover lid 62, and as thesmaller the angular range θ of the dark region, the smaller gets theblack surface region of the cover lid 62. As the larger the blacksurface region of the cover lid 62, the portion of the textured surfaceimaged to be black gets larger, and as the smaller the black surfaceregion, the portion of the textured surface imaged to be black getssmaller. In the present invention, the angular ranges θ and ϕ areadjusted so that the number of black pixels in the verification regionin the captured image of the textured surface or the degree ofseparation of the brightness value of the pixels in the verificationregion is a predetermined value (e.g., 25%). Specifically, the size ofthe black surface region of the cover lid 62 may be changed, or theheight of the side surface of the cover lid 62 may be changed. Variousmethods can be used to achieve this result. In one example, a screwmechanism for moving up and down the black surface region is included,and the height of the side surface of the cover lid 62 can be adjustedby rotating the screw mechanism. This is just one example, and othermethods can also be used.

Since the actual sizes of the textured surface's concave and convexportions vary depending on the parameters used at the time of processingthe authentication target, the angular ranges θ, ϕ are adjusted toobtain a black surface region of an adequate size, thereby optimizingthe brightness distribution of the image to be captured. Note that abrightness value which yields the maximum first derivation of thebrightness change histogram is used for the threshold value forbinarization.

Accordingly, the top portion of the convex portion of the texturedsurface having the normal line in the direction directly opposing thecamera will be imaged to be black, and the concave portion of thetextured surface not directly opposing will be imaged to be white as aresult of reflection of light from various directions. As a result, darkand light contrast in the concave and convex portions in the obtainedimage is emphasized, and it becomes easy to stably extract the topportion as the feature point from the image.

FIG. 8 shows an example of binarized image of the textured surfaceimaged by using the invention of the present application and binarizedimage of the textured surface imaged not using the invention of thepresent application. In Example 1 imaged not using the presentinvention, the concave portion of the verification region is also imagedto be white, and the feature point cannot be found therein. In anotherexample (Example 2) imaged not using the present invention, it isdifficult to set the threshold value used in binarizing the capturedimage, and the feature point changes by change in threshold value. Asopposed to them, Example 3 obtained by imaging the textured surfaceusing the present invention has a high degree of separation between theconcave portion and the convex portion of the obtained image. Therefore,the feature point of the binarized image is stable and not vulnerable toeven a small change in threshold value of binarization. In addition,even when the object is not firmly fixed when imaging the object and theorientation of the textured surface is minutely changed, if the angle issufficiently smaller than θ, the top portion can still be always clearlyextracted as the dark region, which means that the feature point can bestably extracted.

Exemplary Embodiment 2-1

FIG. 9 shows a configuration of an imaging aid 60 according to theexemplary embodiment 2-1 of the present invention.

The imaging aid 10 according to the exemplary embodiment 2-1 includesthe light source unit 61 and the cover lid 62 described above. Theimaging aid 60 is formed to fit to the textured surface side of theobject which is an imaging target, and to cover the textured surface.The inner surface of the upper portion of the cover lid 62, i.e., a partof the surface opposing the textured surface when fit to the object tobe imaged is a black surface.

By causing the object to fit the cover lid 62 of the imaging aid 60, theposition and posture of the object is fixed. The object includes suchparts as a fastening part, a slide fastener, a bolt, a nut, an emblem,or the like. FIG. 10 shows an example showing a state in which theobject is fit to the imaging aid 60. In this example, the object is aslide fastener. In the state in which the object is fit in the imagingaid 60 in this way, a camera mounted in the imaging hole of the coverlid 62 is used to image the textured surface of the object. Since theblack surface region inside the cover lid 62 does not reflect theillumination light from the light source unit 61, the top portion of theconvex portion of the textured surface directly opposing the cameramounted to the imaging hole on the upper surface will be imaged to beblack. Moreover, the concave portion of the textured surface notdirectly opposing the camera will reflect light from various directionsand be imaged to be white. Consequently, the obtained image will haveemphasized contrast between dark and light in the concave and convexportions.

The verification region of the textured surface is not particularlylimited as long as it is a region having a textured pattern. However,desirably, the verification region is predetermined so that theverification becomes easy. In an example, the verification region may bedetermined to be a region at a position determined with reference to areference portion of an article in common. For example, the referenceportion of an article may be a trademark, a logo, a manufacturer's name,a manufacturing company, a brand name, a product name, a product number,or the like, of the product, which is attached, printed, impressed,marked with a hot iron on the article. These reference portions have thesame pattern throughout items of the same article or product, and have acharacteristic appearance. By determining the position and posture ofthese reference portions as a reference, and memorizing thecharacteristics thereof, the verification region of an article can beautomatically detected.

Note that the imaging aid device 60 may further include a fixture 64fixing the object fit to the cover lid 62 by sandwiching it from belowas shown in FIG. 11.

Also as shown in FIG. 12, a light source unit 61 may be provided on theupper portion of the cover lid 62. In this case, the side portion may beformed by a material reflecting irradiated light (e.g., the inner sidemay be white).

Although an object is fit in the exemplary embodiment 2-1 describedabove, the present invention is not limited to this. It is possible toconfigure so that an object be inserted deep in the inner wall of theimaging aid as shown in FIG. 13. Such configurations as exemplified bythese modification examples can also achieve effects similar to those ofthe above-described first exemplary embodiment.

The black surface region of the cover lid 62 may be configured to bereplaceable. It is possible to configure so that the size (angularranges of dark region θ and light region) of the black surface regionfor each type of object is memorized in the memory device in advance,and switch the size of the black surface region by replacing the imagingaid or the like for each type of object to be imaged. Accordingly,various types of articles can be authenticated with the highest quality.

Regarding the setting of size of the black surface region (setting ofangular ranges of dark region θ and light region ϕ), the number of blackpixels in the verification region of the captured image of the texturedsurface was explained to be 25% of the entirety for example. However,this numerical value is an example, and it is possible to use an optimalvalue that can achieve the highest authentication quality, which hasbeen obtained through experiments in advance.

In addition, the predetermined optimal value may be defined for eachtype of article to be verified, respectively. So as to switch thepredetermined value, the article can be identified by the shape anddesign of the reference portion of the article, and the size of theblack surface region can be adjusted so as to yield the value determinedfor the article.

Exemplary Embodiment 2-2

FIG. 14 shows a configuration of the imaging device 66 according to theexemplary embodiment 2-2 of the present invention. The imaging device 66according to the exemplary embodiment 2-2 is configured by the imagingaid 60 of the exemplary embodiment 2-1 and a camera 5 that areintegrally formed, and the camera 65 is fixed to the imaging holeprovided for the cover lid 62 of the imaging aid 60. This camera 65images the textured surface of an object. The camera 65 may include amicro-lens.

According to the described configuration, the exemplary embodiment 2-2can achieve a similar effect to that of the exemplary embodiment 2-1.

Note that the mechanism for capturing an image of a textured surfacefrom the normal line direction is not limited to providing the cover lidwith an imaging hole to mount the camera. For example, it may beprovided a half mirror and configured to capture an image of a texturedsurface through this half mirror. Further, in the above embodiment, theconfiguration including the light source section 61 has been described.However, by using a semitransparent diffusing material withoutconstituting this light source unit 61, it may be possible to maintain apredetermined lighting condition while ensuring uniformity ofilluminance. However, instead of this light source unit 61, atranslucent diffusion material may be used. Thereby, uniformity ofilluminance is secured, and predetermined lighting conditions aremaintained.

Embodiment 3

In above mentioned embodiments, when a captured image of a collationarea is acquired, it is necessary to stably extract the same featurepoint.

This embodiment explains a mobile terminal including a camera functionthat acquiring the captured image in which stably extract the samefeature point. This embodiment of this invention is explained in detailas follows.

FIG. 15 is a configuration diagram illustrating mobile terminal in thisembodiment of present invention. The mobile terminal includes a lightsource unit 61, a camera unit 152, a display unit 153, and a controlunit 154. The control unit 154 superimposes the reference image on thethrough image displayed on the display unit 153 and displays it. Thisreference image is an image for capturing a collation area in a statewhere the relative position/posture between the light source unit 61,the camera unit 152, and the collation area including the texturedpattern of the object satisfies a predetermined relationship when theuser images the collation area of the object.

The mobile terminal 150 is a device such as a smartphone, a mobilephone, a tablet, etc., and has a normal camera function.

The light source unit 61 is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like,and is lighting during camera shooting. The camera unit 152 includes alens and an image sensor elements, a controller for controlling theentire camera unit, and the like.The display unit 153 includes a liquid crystal display or the like.The control unit 154 controls the entire mobile terminal.

The through image is an image in which generated based on the outputsignal of the image sensor elements and is displayed on the liquidcrystal display while the camera of the mobile terminal 150 is operatingin the photographing mode.

The through image is also called a preview image or a live view image.

A viewing angle of the camera is determined by the number of pixels andthe size of the image sensor elements of the camera, the focal length ofthe lens, and the like.

The position of the light source of the mobile terminal, the number andsize of pixels of the image sensor elements of the camera, the focallength of the lens and the like are different depending on the model ofthe mobile terminal.Therefore, the arrangement of the illumination at the time of shootingand the viewing angle of the camera also differ depending on the modelof the mobile terminal. The present invention acquires in advance theimage by shooting the matching area of the object with the same shootingcondition (the irradiation direction and the shot image size is thesame) among mobile terminals having different arrangement ofillumination and view angle of the camera. Then, the control unit 154acquires an image corresponding to the mobile terminal among thepreviously acquired images. An image acquired at the time of shooting issuperimposed and displayed as the reference image on the through image.The user operates on the display so that the direction, the position andthe size of the collation area of the target and the reference imagematch. As a result, the relative position attitude between the lightsource of the portable terminal and the camera and the collation area(the relationship between a and b in FIG. 16) is in the same relation asthe reference image at the time of shooting. That is, it is possible toimage the collation area of the object under the same shooting conditioneven among mobile terminals having different arrangement of lighting ofthe camera and viewing angle.

The image of the collation area shot in advance under the same shootingconditions among the different portable terminals is stored in thestorage unit such as the memory of the mobile terminal. The stored imagemay be read and used by the control unit 154 from the storage unit atthe time of shooting. The database in which images corresponding tovarious mobile terminals are associated with information (model typedependent information) such as the position of the light source of themobile terminal, the pixel of the imaging device or the size, and thefocal length of the lens, may be stored in the storage unit of themobile terminal. In this case, the control unit 154 reads an imagecorresponding to the model type dependent information of the mobileterminal 150 from the database.

The display form of the reference image on the display unit 153 isarbitrary. For example, an image captured in advance may betransparently displayed. Further, the contour line of the portioncorresponding to the collation area in the previously captured image maybe extracted and displayed. FIGS. 17 and 18 show examples of display onthe mobile terminal of a different model when the reference image is thecontour line of the portion corresponding to the collation area. Asshown in FIG. 17, in a mobile terminal of a certain model, the referenceimage is displayed in, for example, landscape orientation. The useroperates so that the matching region of the object matches the referenceimage displayed horizontally. Further, as shown in FIG. 18, in a mobileterminal of another model, the reference image is displayed in, forexample, portrait orientation. The user operates so that the collationarea of the object matches the reference image displayed vertically.

The collation area of the object is not particularly limited as long asit is a textured pattern area. However, in consideration of ease ofverification, it is desirable to preliminarily define a collation area.It is conceivable that the collation area is a region of a positiondetermined with reference to the reference part commonly present in aproduct. For example, the reference part of the product is thetrademark, logo, manufacturer name, manufacturer, brand name, productname, product number, etc. of the product affixed, printed, engraved,and branded on the product. These reference parts possess the samepattern regardless of individuals if they are the same product, and theyhave a characteristic appearance on the appearance. Then, the positionattitude of these reference parts is determined as a reference, thefeature is stored, and the image of the reference part that has beenshot in advance is transparently displayed, so that the user can displaythe image of the reference part at the reference part of the objectoperate to match. By doing this, it is also possible to automaticallydetect the collation area of the product.

The textured pattern includes, for example, not only a case where thetextured pattern is formed as a design, but also a case where thetextured pattern is intentionally formed in a collation area foridentification or verification of product. Furthermore, the texturedpattern can be applied not only to a textured finish pattern applied byprocessing to a metal or a synthetic resin (plastic, etc.), but also toa wrinkle pattern obtained by surface treatment (for example, graining)to a leather product) and the like. For example, in the case of aleather bag which has been subjected to grained processing, minuteirregularities are randomly formed on the surface of the leather bag,and these minute irregularities can be regarded as the same as thetextured pattern.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 19.

The user instructs the execution of the collating area shooting processin the mobile terminal 150. The control unit 154 turns on the camerafunction and causes the liquid crystal display (display unit 153) todisplay the through image output from the camera unit 152 (S1). Inaddition, the control unit 154 reads the reference image correspondingto the mobile terminal 150 from the memory and superimposes thereference image on the through image displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay (S2).

The user adjusts the direction, the position, and the size so as tomatch the collation area of the through image displayed on the displayscreen of the mobile terminal 150 and the reference image and pressesthe shutter button (S3). In response to this, the camera unit 152performs photographing processing and stores the captured image data inthe memory (S4).

In the present embodiment described above, an image obtained by shootingthe collating area of the object under the same shooting condition isacquired in advance in each of mobile terminals having differentarrangement of lighting and viewing angle of the camera. Then, when thecollation area is captured, it is superimposed and displayed as thereference image on the live view image.

By shooting and matching the collation area of the live view image withthe reference image on the display screen, it is possible for the userto be able to easily acquire the collate area of the object under thesame shooting condition even among the mobile terminals with differentlighting arrangement or camera viewing angle.

In S3 of the above described flow, the control unit 154 recognizes thecollating area in the through image output from the camera unit 152based on the predetermined reference position, and, based on thecoordinates on the display screen, the zoom control may be performedautomatically so that the recognized matching region and the referenceimage have the same size.

It is difficult to perfectly match the collation area of the throughimage with the reference image. Therefore, the control unit 154recognizes the collation area in the through image outputted from thecamera unit 152 based on the predetermined reference position. Thecamera unit 152 may be instructed to take an image at a point of timewhen the collation area of the through image is sufficiently close tothe recognized reference image based on the coordinates on the displayscreen or the like.

As shown in FIG. 20, the control unit 154 of the mobile terminal 150downloads the reference image corresponding to the mobile terminal orthe entire reference image from the database on the network such as theInternet, and stores those in the storage unit of the mobile terminal150 may be used.

In the above description, an example in which the reference image andthe model dependent information are registered in association with eachother has been described. For example, the model dependent informationsuch as the model name of the mobile terminal, the model code, and thelike may be associated with the reference image in association with eachother.

A method for obtaining a captured image using the image imaging aid andthe image capturing apparatus in the second embodiment has beendescribed. The method for obtaining the captured image with a simpleoperation even if the user does not have special skill with ageneral-purpose camera instead of the mobile terminal may be used. Inthis case, as shown in FIG. 21, the camera is brought into close contactwith the commodity so that the irradiation direction from a light sourcesuch as commercially available LED light is parallel to the verificationregion. Guides the operator such that the collation region or thereference part matches the through-the-lens image displayed on theshooting screen of the portable terminal 150. The user adjusts thethrough-the-lens image displayed on the display screen of the mobileterminal 150 so that the collation area or the reference area overlapsand presses the shutter button. With such a configuration, even if theuser does not have special skill and knowledge, it is possible tocapture the collation area as a high-contrast image in the same shadowdirection as that at the time of registration by a simple operation.

Embodiment 4

Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the drawings. In the above described embodiment, anembodiment in which collation and retrieve for products are performed byusing a difference in surface pattern (image pattern) in a collationarea of a product has been described. In this embodiment, at least apart of a predetermined region on which a textured pattern is applied asa surface pattern is set as a collation region, and collating(identification) is performed using a textured pattern in the collationregion. In addition, the same configurations as those of the aboveembodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals, and thedetailed descriptions will be omitted. In the following descriptions, asan example, a case where the entire textured pattern applied to afastener which is a component attached to a main body which is a casingconstituting a major part of a product is set as a collation area, butneed to be limited.

Embodiment 4-1

FIG. 22 is a configuration diagram illustrating of embodiment 4-1. Theverification system of the present embodiment includes a storage unit 3in which image features of a textured pattern in a collation area of acomponent are stored, image features of the textured pattern in acollation area of a component to be checked, image features of thestored satellite pattern and a collation/retrieval unit 6 for collatingthe product to be collated with each other.

Here, a component is a product attached to a main body which is a casingwhich constitutes a major part of a product produced by a manufacturer.The component is not particularly limited as long as it can specify thepattern of the predetermined region on the surface of the component. Itis preferable that the part is subjected to low-cost surface processingwhich is not used as an application for verification or authenticitydetermination. Examples of the component include a fastener (a slidefastener, a hook and loop fastener, a snap fastener, a rail fastener, abuckle, a cord stopper, a belt adjuster, a loop clutch, a snap button, abutton, and the like), a clasp (a caulking, an eyelet, a screw, a nail,a bolt, and nut etc.), decorative parts, and a semiconductors ofelectronic parts, and the like. Materials include metal, plastic, resin,leather, ceramics, ceramic etc. Screws, nails, semiconductor chips,plastic parts and the like.

Processing of the textured pattern provided to the component isconsidered to be roughly divided into two methods.

One is a processing method for providing the textured pattern to a moldthat manufactures the component by injection molding or casting. In atextured finish to the mold, various methods such as etching andblasting, can be used. In a general method, a particle size and the likeof the textured pattern can be controlled. Further, also a position anda size of the fine irregularity are not correctly reproduced one by onebut a random pattern is generated in each case of the processing.Accordingly, in the case where the mold that manufactures the samecomponent is fabricated in plurality, the fine irregularities in atextured finish area through each mold are different from each other ineach mold. Also in the case where an imitation product is fabricated, ofcourse, it is possible to imitate the same mold at a glance. However, itis difficult to completely take out the fine irregularities of thetextured pattern one by one. Through the processing method, anapproximately identical textured pattern can be provided to allindividuals fabricated by the same mold. On the contrary, when adifferent mold is used, fine features of the textured pattern aredifferent from each other. In the case of the above-describedprocessing, at least one or more are selected from among an individualgroup (component group) that has the textured pattern provided theretoby a certain mold. Further, the image features of the textured patternin the verification area of the individual are registered as arepresentative value being a reference of the verification in the imagefeature storage unit 1. Further, a component individual having the imagefeatures that are consistent with the image features registered in theimage feature storage unit 1 can be verified as a component that has thetextured pattern provided thereto by the mold.

This method has the advantage of being able to verify the individualgroup (component group) fabricated by a specific mold by using smallregistration data. In addition, the image of the textured patternportion of the mold (the portion subjected to textured finishing toparts etc.) to be registered in the image feature storage unit isregistered without change in luminance value of the image. At the timeof verification, the brightness value of the satin pattern image in thecollation area may be reversed and collated.

In another method, fine surface irregularities are generated by aplating process, painting, or the texture processing through a processof generating random fine irregular patterns in each individual of thecomponent through etching, blasting, cutting, crystallization and powderpainting, dispersion plating process, or the like. In the case of usingthe above-described processing, provided textured pattern is differentin each individual of the component. Therefore, in each individual ofthe component, the image features of the textured pattern provided tothe verification area are registered in the image feature storage unit1. Further, a component having the image feature that is consistent withimage features registered in the image feature storage unit 1 can beverified as the component registered in the image feature storage unit1.

This method has the advantageous effect capable of verifying(identifying) the component in units of individuals since the texturedpattern is different in each individual of the component.

Further, the above-described two methods are combined and the paintingand the plating process are further applied to a portion that has thetextured process applied thereto by the mold. Thereby, generation in adifference between individuals in the fine irregularities can beadvanced, and further an identification property can be improved. Atthis time, a difference between features in each mold still remains anda difference between features in each individual due to a process isfurther added, and thereby both can be verified, respectively.Particularly, a size of the irregularity of the textured process that isapplied to the mold is made rougher than that of the textured process ina subsequent stage, and thereby a difference between the molds can bemade larger than a difference between individuals. By use of the abovemethod, a threshold to a degree of similarity of the feature amount atthe time of the verification can be set loosely at the time of theverification in each mold as compared to the time of the verification ineach individual, and verified by using small registration data asdescribed above. Further, by using this advantage, the verificationthroughput can be reduced by hierarchic verification.

Next, when the verification area is an area that has the texturedpattern provided thereto, it is not particularly limited. Further, it isto be desired that ease of the verification processing be considered andthe verification area be previously determined. As the verificationarea, an area of a position in which a reference portion that is presentin common to the component is determined as a reference is considered tobe designated as the verification area. Examples of the referenceportion of the component include a trademark, a logo, a manufacturername, a manufacturing company, a brand name, a manufacture name, and aserial number, and the like of the product attached, printed, diestamped, or heated and printed to or in the component. When thecomponents are the same, these reference portions have the same patternin common regardless of the individuals, and are distinctively viewedfrom an external appearance. Further, when a position and an attitude ofthe reference portion are determined as a reference and the features arestored, the verification area of the component can be automaticallydetected.

Further, an imaging aid (adapter), described in above exemplaryembodiment 2 that is engaged with the side of the component that has thetextured pattern provided thereto may be prepared, a hollow wall (hole)capable of viewing (imaging) the textured pattern from the outside maybe provided in a part of the member, and an area capable of viewing(imaging) the textured pattern may be designated as the verificationarea. As described above, in each case where the position and theattitude in the verification area are identified, it is unnecessary torecognize the position and the attitude in the verification area and theverification area can be definitely identified.

It should be noted that the image features of the textured pattern forverification may differ depending on the lighting condition at the timeof shooting the textured finished pattern applied to the same componenteven though they are the same components individual. However, thisproblem is solved by the use of the imaging aid described in the secondembodiment.

Next, as an example of the component, a specific embodiment will bedescribed with reference to a fastener 220.

FIG. 23 is a view for illustrating the fastener 220 as an example of thecomponent.

To a predetermined region of the pull-tab of the fastener 220, thetextured pattern 221 is provided. In the present example, apredetermined range of the textured pattern 221 is designated as theverification area 222, and further the entire area that has the texturedpattern 221 provided thereto may be designated as the verification area.

Here, how to determine the verification area is to determine theverification area 222 by the cover lid 62 of the imaging aid. An exampleof the imaging aid is illustrated in FIG. 24. The cover lid 223 isconfigured so as to be engaged with the fastener 220 on the side of thetextured pattern 221, and is formed in a shape to cover the fastener220. Further, the fastener 220 is inserted into a deep location of aninternal wall of the cover lid 223, and thereby the cover lid 223 isconfigured so as to fix a position and an attitude of the fastener 220.Further, on the cover lid 223, an imaging hole 224 is provided so as tophotograph a part of the textured pattern 11 of the fastener 220.Further, an area to be determined through the imaging hole 224 isdesignated as the verification area 222.

Next, the textured pattern 221 of the verification area 222 isphotographed by a camera. The camera is fixed so as to cover the imaginghole 224. Further, light sources 61 for imaging are provided on the sideof the cover lid 62.

The cover lid 62 is configured as described above, and thereby theverification area 222 of the fastener 220 can be uniformly determined.Further, the light sources 61 are arranged in a given position towardthe verification area 222. As a result, the textured pattern in theverification area 222 can be photographed under the same lightingconditions, and a change in the image features of the textured patterngenerated by a change in the lighting conditions can be prevented.

Next, the image features of the image feature storage unit 3 areregistered. In the texture processing through the mold, about severalfasteners 220 are selected from the fasteners 220 that have the textureprocessing applied thereto by the mold, the cover lid 62 are engagedwith the fasteners 220, and the textured pattern 221 in the verificationarea 220 is photographed by the camera. Further, in the textureprocessing through the process, the cover lid 62 is engaged with each ofthe fasteners 220, and the textured pattern 221 in the verification area222 is photographed by the camera. The image feature is extracted fromthe imaged textured pattern 221, and is registered in the storage unit3. In the extraction of the image feature from the imaged image, anextraction technique of the image feature of fingerprints such asluminance values and feature points of the image, inflection points,intersection points, end-points, and central points of lines of a binaryimage can be used.

On the other hand, in the case where the fastener 220 is verified, thefastener 220 to be verified is photographed by the same imaging methodas that of the above, and an image of the textured pattern 221 in theverification area 222 of the fastener 220 to be verified is acquired.The image features from the imaged image are extracted in the samemanner as in the above.

The collation/retrieval unit 6 compares the image feature of thefastener 220 to be verified and the image features stored in the storageunit 3. Suppose, for example, that the number of combinations of theminutiae in the same position (a range within a certain threshold) ismore than or equal to a predetermined number. In this case, both areconsistent with each other is determined, and the fastener 220 to beverified is the same as that registered in the storage unit 3 isdetermined.

As described above, according to the embodiment 4-1, a special devicesuch as a tag for identifying the article or an RFID tag is notparticularly used but components can be verified through the texturedpattern generated in a normal production process of the components.

The embodiment 4-1 as described above has a configuration in which thecollation/retrieval unit 6 inputs and verifies the image features of thetextured pattern; however, it is not limited thereto. As illustrated inFIG. 25, for example, an acquisition unit 225 may acquire a firsttextured image and a second textured image, and a collation/retrievalunit 6 may verify the acquired first and second textured images, andoutput verification results. Even the above-described configuration canacquire the same advantageous effects as those of the embodiment 4-1.

Embodiment 4-2

An embodiment 4-2 will be described.

The embodiment 4-2 relates to a verification system of a fastener in thecase where a component is designated as the fastener as an example, andthe fastener has a textured pattern provided thereto by a mold.

FIG. 26 is a configuration diagram illustrating the verification systemof the fastener.

An imaging unit 2501 is present on the side of a person (fabricator andthe like of the fastener) that relates to fabrication of a fastener220_1 or a person that performs quality control of the fastener 220_1,and images the verification area of the fastener 2201_1 by thefabricators or the like. The imaging unit 2501 is the same as theabove-described cover lib 62 and camera. With regard to the number ofpieces to be photographed, in the case of the texture processing throughthe mold, an approximately identical textured pattern is formed in eachmold. Therefore, several fasteners may be selected in each mold, and theselected fasteners may be photographed. Further, regardless of a fileformat of the imaged image, JPEG or the like may be used.

An image feature extraction unit 2502 extracts the image features of thetextured pattern in the verification area from the image imaged by theimaging unit 2501. In the extraction of the image features, anextraction technology of the image features of fingerprints such asluminance values and minutiae of the image, inflection points,intersection points, end-points, and central points of lines of a binaryimage can be used. The above-described extracted image features areregistered in an image feature database 2503.

As illustrated in FIG. 27, the image feature database 2503 stores themold and the image features of the textured pattern in the verificationarea of the fastener 220 processed by the mold in association with eachother. In addition, the mold and the image features may be stored inassociation with production information about production places,merchandise category, and production date and time, or distributioninformation about shipment destinations, shipment date, and the like.Through the above, history information about the fastener to be verifiedcan be also acquired.

An imaging unit 2504 and an image feature extraction unit 2505 arepresent on the side of an inspection department of the fastener or onthe side where the fastener is verified, such as a shipment destinationof the fastener. The imaging unit 2504 and the image feature extractionunit 2505 have the same configurations as those of the imaging unit 101and the image feature extraction unit 2502, respectively.

A verification unit 2506 verifies the image feature in the verificationarea of a fastener 2202_2 to be verified extracted by the image featureextraction unit 2505 and the image features stored in the image featuredatabase 2503. In the case where both are consistent with each other,the verification unit 2506 determines that the fastener 2202_2 to beverified is a regular fastener registered in the image feature database2503. For example, when the image feature of the fastener 2202_2 is“YYY”, the fastener 2202_2 can be identified as a fastener processed bythe mold 2. In addition, with regard to a method for verifying the imagefeatures, for example, end-points and intersection points of lines andcorners of the textured pattern are designated as the minutiae, andarrangements of the minutiae are verified. In the case where the numberof combinations of the minutiae in the same position (a range within acertain threshold) is more than or equal to a predetermined number, bothare consistent with each other is determined. As the above-describedverification technology, an existing technology of fingerprintverification can be used.

Further, each of the above-described imaging unit, image featureextraction unit, image feature database, and verification unit may bepresent individually and mutually connected via a network.Alternatively, several units may be combined.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a specialdevice such as a tag for identifying the article or an RFID is notrequired. Further, an individual of the components or the mold formanufacturing the article can be verified by the textured patterngenerated in a normal production process of the components. Inparticular, in the embodiment 2-2, since the texture processing isperformed by the mold, an approximately identical textured pattern isformed in each mold. Therefore, for example, when the verification isperformed in each mold, it is useful for a quality inspection and thelike in each mold. Further, since an imitation component or the like isfabricated by using the mold different from that of a regular component,the imitation component can be also determined.

Embodiment 4-3

An embodiment 4-3 will be described. In the case where a component isdesignated as a fastener as an example and the fastener has a texturedpattern provided thereto separately by blasting, this embodiment relatesto a verification system of the fastener.

An imaging unit 2501 is present on the side of a person (a fabricatorand the like of the fastener) that relates to fabrication of a fastener220_1 or a person that performs quality control of the fastener 220_1,and images the verification area of the fastener 220_1 by thefabricators or the like. The imaging unit 2501 is the same as theabove-described cover rib 62 and camera. Further, regardless of a fileformat of the imaged image, JPEG or the like may be used.

An image feature extraction unit 2502 extracts the image features of thetextured pattern in the verification area from the image imaged by theimaging unit 2501. In the extraction of the image features, anextraction technology of the image features of fingerprints such asluminance values and minutiae of the image, inflection points,intersection points, end-points, and central points of lines of a binaryimage can be used. The image features extracted as described above areregistered in an image feature database 2503.

As illustrated in FIG. 28, the image feature database 2503 stores theidentification information for identifying an individual of the fastener220_1 and the image feature of the textured pattern in the verificationarea of the fastener 220_1 in association with each other. In addition,the identification information and the image feature may be stored inassociation with production information about production places,merchandise category, and production date and time, or distributioninformation about shipment destinations, shipment date, and the like.Through the above, history information about the fastener to be verifiedcan be also acquired.

An imaging unit 2504 and an image feature extraction unit 2505 arepresent on the side of an inspection department of the fastener or onthe side where the fastener is verified, such as a shipment destinationof the fastener. The imaging unit 2504 and the image feature extractionunit 2505 have the same configurations as those of the imaging unit 2501and the image feature extraction unit 2502, respectively.

A verification unit 2506 verifies the image feature in the verificationarea of a fastener 220_2 to be verified extracted by the image featureextraction unit 2505 and the image features stored in the image featuredatabase 2503. In the case where both are consistent with each other,the verification unit 2506 determines that the fastener 220_2 to beverified is a regular fastener registered in the image feature database2503. For example, when the image feature of the fastener 220_2 are“YYY”, the fastener 220_2 can be identified as a fastener identified bythe identification information “fastener 2”. In addition, with regard toa method for verifying the image features, for example, end-points andintersection points of lines, and corners of the textured pattern aredesignated as the minutiae and arrangements of the minutiae areverified. In the case where the number of combinations of the minutiaein the same position (a range within a certain threshold) is more thanor equal to a predetermined number, both are consistent with each otheris determined. As the above-described verification technology, anexisting technology of fingerprint verification can be used.

Further, each of the above-described imaging unit, image featureextraction unit, image feature database, and verification unit may bepresent individually and mutually connected via a network.Alternatively, several units may be combined.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a specialdevice such as a tag for identifying the component or an RFID tag is notrequired. Further, the component can be verified by the textured patterngenerated in a normal production process of the component. Inparticular, in the embodiment 4-3, since the texture processing isperformed by a processing trace, the textured pattern that is differentin each component is formed. Therefore, the verification of thecomponent can be identified in an individual level.

Embodiment 4-4

An embodiment 4-4 will be described.

In the case where a component is designated as a fastener as an example,and blasting, texture processing using powder painting, or a platingprocess is applied as a process in a subsequent stage on a texturedpattern of the fastener provided by a mold, the fourth embodimentrelates to a verification system of the fastener.

An imaging unit 2501 is present on the side of a person that relates tofabrication of a fastener 220_1 (fabricator and the like of thefastener) or a person that performs quality control of the fastener220_1, and images a verification area of the fastener 220_1 by thefabricators or the like. The imaging unit 2501 is the same as theabove-described cover lib 62 and camera. Further, regardless of a fileformat of the imaged image, JPEG or the like may be used.

The image feature extraction unit 2502 extracts the image features ofthe textured pattern in the verification area from the image imaged bythe imaging unit 2501. In the extraction of the image features, anextraction technology of the image features of fingerprints such asluminance values and minutiae of the image, inflection points,intersection points, end-points, and central points of lines of a binaryimage can be used. The image features extracted as described above areregistered in an image feature database 2503.

The image feature of the fastener 220_1 are acquired. The blasting,texture processing using the powder painting, or a plating process isapplied to the fastener 220_1 as a process in the subsequent stage onthe textured pattern provided by the mold. Accordingly, as describedabove, a difference between features still remains in each mold and adifference between features is further added in each individual due to aprocess. Therefore, it is to be desired that several samples of thefastener 220_1 be selected in each mold and only the image features(referred to as mold difference image features) of the textured patternthrough the mold before the process in the subsequent stage be acquired.With regard to other individuals, in addition to the textured patternthrough the mold, the image feature (individual difference imagefeature) of the textured pattern after the processing in the subsequentstage are further acquired.

As an example of an acquisition method of each of the mold differenceimage feature and the individual difference image feature, the followingmethod is used. An each size of the fine irregularities generated by thetexture processing in the mold is supposed to be ‘a’, and a size of theirregularities further generated by the process in the subsequent stageis supposed to be ‘b’. Here, for example, the process is supposed to becontrolled so that a>b holds. In the image of the individual fabricatedby the same mold, mottles of a size ‘a’ and mottles of a size ‘b’ aremixed and generated. Here, when only the mottles of a size ofapproximately ‘a’ are acquired as the feature point, the mold differenceimage feature can be acquired. Further, when the mottles of the size ‘b’are acquired, the individual difference image feature can be acquired.

The mold difference features are extracted from a plurality of samples,and the average and the like are taken. As a result, a mold can stablybe verified.

As illustrated in FIG. 29, the image database 2503 stores theidentification information for identifying an individual of the fastener220_1, the image feature of the textured pattern in the verificationarea through the mold that has the fastener 220_1 fabricated thereby,and the image feature of the textured pattern in the verification areaof a fastener 220_1 group fabricated by each of the molds in associationwith each other. In addition, the identification information and theimage feature may be stored in association with production informationabout production places, merchandise category, and production date andtime, or distribution information about shipment destinations, shipmentdate, and the like. Through the above, history information about thefastener to be verified can be also acquired.

An imaging unit 2504 and an image feature extraction unit 2505 arepresent on the side of an inspection department of the fastener or onthe side where the fastener is verified, such as a shipment destinationof the fastener. The imaging unit 2504 and the image feature extractionunit 2505 have the same configurations as those of the imaging unit 2501and the image feature extraction unit 2502, respectively.

A verification unit 2506 verifies the image feature in the verificationarea of a fastener 220_2 to be verified extracted by the image featureextraction unit 2505 and the image features stored in the image database2503. In the case where both are consistent with each other, theverification unit 306 determines that the fastener 220_2 to be verifiedis a regular fastener registered in the image database 2503. Here, theverification unit 306 first verifies the image features in theverification area of the fastener 220_2 to be verified and the imagefeatures (mold difference image features) of the textured pattern in theverification area through the mold. Thereby, the verification unit 306determines the mold that fabricates the fastener 220_2. Next, theverification unit 306 verifies the individual difference image featuresof the fastener group fabricated by the determined mold and theindividual difference image features of the fastener 220_2, and verifiesan individual of the fastener 220_2.

As described above, for example, in the case where the image feature ofthe fastener 307 is “AAA+YYY”, the image feature can be divided into theimage feature AAA and the image feature YYY, for example, by sorting ofa size of the mottle or a thickness of the line. Here, the image featureof the fastener 307 have “AAA”, and thereby a fastener is fabricated bythe mold A can be determined. Further, the image feature of the fastener307 group fabricated by the mold A and the image feature “AAA+YYY” ofthe fastener 307 to be verified are verified, and thereby the fastener307 is a fastener identified by the identification information fastener2 can be identified. In addition, with regard to a method for verifyingthe image feature, for example, end-points and intersection points oflines, and corners of the textured pattern are designated as theminutiae and arrangements of the minutiae are verified. In the casewhere the number of combinations of the minutiae in the same position (arange within a certain threshold) is more than or equal to apredetermined number, both are consistent with each other is determined.As the above-described verification technology, an existing technologyof fingerprint verification can be used.

Further, each of the above-described imaging unit, image featureextraction unit, image feature database, and verification unit may bepresent individually and mutually connected via a network.Alternatively, several units may be combined.

As described above, the embodiment 4-4 is characterized in that inaddition to the advantageous effects of embodiment 4-2 as describedabove, even in the case of identifying individuals, all the registeredimage features are not required to be verified but the verificationprocessing can be fast performed. Further, the hierarchic verificationcan be also performed in which the verification is not required up to anindividual level of the fastener but only the verification of a level ofthe mold that fabricates the fastener is performed.

Embodiment 5

In the fourth embodiment described above, at least a part of apredetermined region of a component subjected to a satin pattern is setas a collation area, and a configuration in which collation(identification) of the component is performed by a matte pattern in thecollation area has been described. In the present embodiment, theproduct (concavo-convex pattern) applied to a predetermined region onthe surface of the component is collated to identify the product onwhich the component is mounted. The same reference numerals are attachedto the same configurations as those in the above embodiment, and adetailed description thereof will be omitted.

The collation system according to the present embodiment includes animage feature storage unit 311 in which image features of a collationarea of a component attached to the main body of a product are storedand collation of a construction to a product to be collated, and acollation apparatus 312 for collating the product on which the componentis mounted based on the image feature of the area.

As illustrated in FIG. 31, in the following descriptions, thedescriptions will be made by using a slide fastener as the component anda textured pattern as the pattern. An example where the entire texturedpattern in a concave portion of a pull-tab of the slide fastener is setas the verification area will be used and described; however, it is notnecessarily limited thereto.

When the product is a product on which the above-described component isfixed, it is not particularly limited thereto. As illustrated in FIG.33, in the following descriptions, a bag on which the slide fastener isfixed will be described as an example.

Embodiment 5-1

Next, a configuration of each unit will be described.

As illustrated in FIG. 30, the verification system 310 according to thepresent application includes the image feature storage 311 and theverification apparatus 312.

The image feature storage 311 is a database in which the image featuresof the textured pattern in the verification area of the pull-tab of thefabricated slide fastener are stored in association with productinformation. Here, the product information is information including atleast one or more of producer identification information, productidentification information, individual identification information,distribution course information, and verification information. Theproducer identification information is identification information foruniquely identifying a producer that produces bags being a product, forexample, a manufacturer name, a brand name, and the like. In addition,the producer identification information is, for example, a conceptincluding also a shipment destination and a shipment date and time ofthe slide fastener as the producer identification information. Theproduct identification information is information for uniquelyidentifying a product on which the component is fixed, and is, forexample, information indicating a merchandise name, a model number, aproduction date and time, a selling date and time, or a selling period.The individual identification number is identification information forindividually identifying the product on which the component is fixed,and includes a production lot number and a serial number as an exampletherefor. The distribution course information is information in which adistribution course of the slide fastener or the bag on which the slidefastener is fixed is accumulated as a log, and is, for example,information about the distribution of a seller on the way ofdistribution, a selling date and time, a passing date and time and apassing place of a custom office, a final seller, a final selling dateand time, a purchaser, and the like. The verification information isinformation about the verification of the product through the componenthaving the image feature. Further, the verification information isinformation about imitation inspection results of the product on whichthe component having the image feature is fixed, a place, and a date andtime at which the image feature is acquired, a worker that acquires theimage feature, identifiable information from an appearance of theproduct on which the component having the image feature is fixed, andthe like.

The verification apparatus 312 extracts the image feature from an imageobtained by imaging the textured pattern of the pull-tab of the slidefastener that is fixed on the bag to be verified. Further, theverification apparatus 312 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features of the textured pattern stored in the image featurestorage 311. Further, the verification apparatus 312 verifies whetherboth are consistent with each other. In the case where both areconsistent with each other, on the basis of the product information inassociation with the image feature, the verification apparatus 312verifies consistency between product information in association with theimage feature and obvious information (the brand, the serial number, andthe like) from the design and the like or described separately in theproduct to be verified. In the case where both are consistent with eachother, the verification apparatus 312 can authenticate the above bag asan authentic product. Here, with regard to the verification method ofthe image features, for example, in the case where a center of dots inthe textured pattern is set to a feature point, an arrangement of thefeature point is verified, and the number of combinations of the featurepoints in the same position (a range in a certain threshold) is morethan or equal to a predetermined number, both is the same is determined.Further, in the case of a leather pattern or a wood grain pattern,end-points, an intersection point of lines, and a corner are set to thefeature points, the arrangement of the feature points is verified, andthe number of combinations of the feature points in the same position (arange in a certain threshold) is more than or equal to a predeterminednumber, both is the same is determined. An existing technology offingerprint verification can be used as the above-described verificationtechnology. In the descriptions, an example in which the image featuresof the stored textured pattern and the image features of the texturedpattern to be verified are verified is described; however, it is notlimited thereto in the present invention. In place of the imagefeatures, for example, an image of the stored textured pattern and animage of the textured pattern to be verified may be verified.

Embodiment 5-2

Continuously, an embodiment 5-2 of the verification system of thepresent application will be described. In the second embodiment,verification in the case where a component is managed so that a productis set to a bag, the component is set to a slide fastener, a pattern isset to a textured pattern, product information is set to a shipmentdestination, and a component fabricated from the same mold is shipped ineach shipment destination will be described.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating a verification system of theembodiment 5-2. The verification system 310 includes the image featurestorage 311, the verification apparatus 312, and a cell-phone of aconsumer.

As illustrated in FIG. 32, in the image feature storage 311, the imagefeature extracted from an image obtained by imaging in each mold theslide fastener that has the textured pattern provided thereto by themold is stored in association with the shipment destination. When acomponent supplier fabricates or ships components, the image featurestorage 311 is created while the image feature of the component isassociated with the producer identification information of the shipmentdestination, and the image feature storage 311 is installed as a deviceof the component supplier side. In addition, in imaging the texturedpattern of the pull-tab of the slide fastener, the component, lighting,and a position and an attitude of an image pickup device are supposed tobe mutually fixed and then imaged with the use of the adapter.

The verification apparatus 312 includes an image feature extraction unit3122 and a determination unit 3121. The image feature extraction unit3122 extracts the image feature from the image that is transmitted fromthe cell-phone of the consumer and that is obtained by imaging thetextured pattern of the pull-tab of the slide fastener that is fixed onthe bag to be verified. The determination unit 3121 verifies the imagefeature extracted by the image feature extraction unit 3122 and theimage features of the textured pattern stored in the image featurestorage 311, and searches for whether both are consistent with eachother. In the case where both are consistent with each other, theverification apparatus 312 verifies consistency between productinformation (the producer identification information being the shipmentdestination) in association with the image feature and obviousinformation (the producer identification information such as a brand, orthe product identification information such as a serial number) from thedesign and the like or described separately in the product to beverified. In the case where both are consistent with each other, theverification apparatus 312 can authenticate the above bag as anauthentic product. On the other hand, as a result of the verification,in the case where the consistency is not recognized, there is thepossibility that the bag is an imitation product can be determined.

From an appearance design of the bag of FIG. 33, for example, in thecase where the bag is a product of AB company (or, an imitation productthereof) can be easily determined, when the image feature of thecomponent is YYY, the consistency can be verified and the bag can beauthenticated as an authentic product. Suppose, on the other hand, thatthe component is not a component of a component dealer that uses aregular component, or suppose that even if the component is a normalcomponent, a third party that is not a producer of the bag obtains thecomponents separately and produces the imitation products. In this case,the image feature of the component is different from YYY and, since thebag is not verified, the bag is an imitation product or may be animitation product can be determined.

With the use of the adapter, by the cell-phone, the textured pattern ofthe pull-tab of the slide fastener of the bag to be verified is imagedby mutually fixing the component, the lighting, and the position and theattitude of the image pickup device on a predetermined relativerelationship, and the imaged image is transmitted to the verificationapparatus 312. In the present embodiment, the cell-phone will be used asan example, and the descriptions will be made. Further, when an imageobtained by imaging the textured pattern of the pull-tab of the slidefastener of the bag to be verified can be transmitted, devices exceptthe cell-phone may be used.

Next, operations of the verification system of the present applicationwill be described with reference to FIG. 34.

For verifying the bag to be verified, the consumer transmits an imageobtained by imaging the textured pattern in the predetermined region ofthe pull-tab by the cell-phone, and the verification apparatus 312receives the image (S501).

The image feature extraction unit 3122 of the verification apparatus 312extracts the image feature of the textured pattern in the predeterminedregion from the received image by the same method as the above-describedmethod and outputs the extracted image feature to the determination unit3121 (S502).

The determination unit 202 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature database 11 (S503). Inthe case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S503), thedetermination unit 202 reads out the product information (shipmentdestination and the like) in association with the image feature andtransmits the product information to the cell-phone 2 (S504). Theconsumer verifies the consistency between the received information aboutthe shipment destination and the obvious product information (the brand,the serial number, and the like) from a logo and the like described inthe product or design of the bag, and authenticates the bag as anauthentic product in the case where both are correctly consistent witheach other. As a result, an imitation product, a false description, andfurther the imitation product using another fastener fabricated by aregular components dealer can be also refused.

On the other hand, as a result of the verification, in the case whereboth are not consistent with each other (NO of S503), the fact that bothare not consistent with each other is transmitted to the cell-phone 2(S505). As a result, the consumer recognizes that the bag is camouflagedor may be camouflaged.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even if a producer of theproduct does not build an RFID chip or the like into the product one byone, a fastener the image feature of which is previously registered by acomponent dealer is used, and thereby the verification for anauthenticity assessment and the like of the product can be performed.Therefore, the verification for the authenticity assessment and the likeof the product merchandise can be performed at low cost.

Further, even if the consumer does not have special equipment, the bagcan be verified. Further, as a result of the verification, productinformation about the product can be also acquired.

In the above-described embodiment, a case where the image feature isregistered in each mold is used and descriptions are made. Further, thesecond embodiment may have a configuration in which the image feature ineach fastener extracted from an image obtained by separately imaging theslide fastener that has the textured pattern provided thereto by theblasting is stored in association with the product identificationinformation for identifying each of the products individually.

Further, in place of the shipment destination, or in addition to theshipment destination, information about the shipment date and time, aproducer of products on which the fastener is fixed, a production periodof the products, and the like is stored. Further, the consistencybetween any of the above information or the combined information and theobvious information (the brand, the serial number, and the like) from alogo and the like described in the product or design of the bag may beverified. Further, in the case where both are correctly consistent witheach other, the bag may be authenticated as an authentic product.

Further, a configuration in which the image feature storage 311 isprovided on the component supplier side is used and descriptions aremade. Further, the second embodiment may have a configuration in whichthe component supplier provides the image feature storage 311 to theproducer and the image feature database 311 is provided on the producerside. Further, the second embodiment may have a configuration in whichthe image feature storage 311 is provided on the network.

Embodiment 5-3

Continuously, an embodiment 5-3 of the verification system of thepresent application will be described. In the third embodiment,verification in the case where a product is set to a bag, a component isset to a slide fastener, a pattern is set to a textured pattern, andproduct information is set to product identification information will bedescribed. In addition, the same configurations as those of theembodiment 5-3 are indicated by the same reference numerals, and thedetailed description will be omitted.

FIG. 35 is a block diagram illustrating the verification system of thepresent embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the verification system 310 has the imagefeature storage 311 and a product information storage 313. In the imagefeature storage 311, the image feature in each fastener extracted froman image obtained by separately imaging the slide fastener that has thetextured pattern provided thereto by the blasting is stored inassociation with the fastener identification information for identifyingeach of the fasteners individually. At the time when a componentsupplier ships the fastener, the image feature storage 311 is createdwhile the image feature of the component is associated with the shipmentdestination, and the image feature storage 311 is installed as a deviceon the component supplier side. In the product information storage 313,the fastener identification information is stored in association withbag identification information (product identification information) forindividually identifying each bag on which the fastener is fixed. Theproduct information storage 313 is created at the time of producing theproducts while the fastener identification information is associatedwith the bag identification information, and the product informationstorage 313 is installed as a device on the producer side. In addition,in the present embodiment, a configuration in which the fasteneridentification information is associated with the product identificationinformation will be described. Further, in addition to the productidentification information, the fastener identification information maybe stored also in association with a production date of the product, andthe like.

The determination unit 3121 of the verification apparatus 312 verifiesthe image feature extracted by the image feature extraction unit 3122and the image features of the textured pattern stored in the imagefeature storage 311, and searches for whether both are consistent witheach other. In the case where both are consistent with each other, thedetermination unit 3121 reads out the fastener identificationinformation in association with the image feature, and searches theproduct information storage 313 for the bag identification informationon the basis of the read-out fastener identification information. Thatis, in the present embodiment, the determination unit 3122 searches forthe bag identification information. A consumer verifies the consistencybetween the received bag identification information and the bagidentification information about the bag, and authenticates the bag asan authentic product in the case where both are consistent with eachother.

Next, operations of the verification system of this application will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 36.

For verifying the bag to be verified, the consumer transmits an imageobtained by imaging the textured pattern in the predetermined region ofthe pull-tab by the cell-phone, and the verification apparatus 312receives the image (S701).

By the same method as the above-described method, the image featureextraction unit 3122 of the verification apparatus 312 extracts theimage feature of the textured pattern in the predetermined region fromthe received image, and outputs the extracted image feature to thedetermination unit 3121 (S702).

The determination unit 3121 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature storage 311 (S703).

In the case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S703), thedetermination unit 3121 reads out the fastener identificationinformation in association with the image feature (S704). Thedetermination unit 3121 searches the product information storage 313 forthe bag identification information on the basis of the read-out fasteneridentification information (S705). In the case where the bagidentification information is searched for (YES of S705), thedetermination unit 202 transmits the searched-for bag identificationinformation to the cell-phone (S706). On the basis of whether thereceived bag identification information is consistent with the bagidentification information about the bag to be verified, the consumercan authenticate whether the bag is a regular product.

On the other hand, as a result of the verification at S703, in the casewhere both are not consistent with each other (NO of S703), and as aresult of the searching at S705, in the case where the bagidentification information is not searched for (NO of S705), thedetermination unit 3121 transmits to the cell-phone the fact thatinformation about the bag to be verified is not present (S707). As aresult, the consumer recognizes that the bag is camouflaged or may becamouflaged.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even if an RFID chip isnot built into fasteners one by one, the verification for theauthenticity assessment and the like can be performed. Therefore, theverification for the authenticity assessment and the like formerchandise can be performed at low cost.

Further, even if the consumer does not have special equipment, the bagbeing the product can be verified. Further, as a result of theverification, information about the product can be also acquired.

Further, like the present embodiment, when the product information isconfigured as a database different from the image feature database, theproducer can grasp component identification information about componentsthat are built into the products by himself or herself. Therefore, thecomponent identification information has only to be associated with theproduct identification information, and trouble for imaging componentsand acquiring the image feature of the component can be saved. Further,a secret of information about the product of his or her own can be keptto a component dealer, and on the other hand, the product of his or herown can be authenticated if necessary. Further, even if the componentdealer does not manage the product information, the componentidentification information about his or her own component is onlyattached to components and provided to producers, and therebyvalue-added service of the component can be provided.

In the above-described embodiments, a case where the image feature isregistered separately is used and descriptions are made. Further, likethe embodiment 5-2, the third embodiment may have a configuration inwhich the image feature in each mold is stored in association with theproduct identification information for identifying each of the productsindividually or information about a product group like a merchandisename and the like.

Further, in place of the bag identification information or along withthe bag identification information, information about the selling dateand time of the products, producers of the products, production periodof the products, and the like may be stored. As a result, theconsistency between the above information and the obvious information(the brand, the serial number, and the like) from a logo and the likedescribed in the product or design of the bag is verified, and the bagmay be authenticated as an authentic product in the case where both arecorrectly consistent with each other. Further, through the presentconfiguration, a physical distribution management of the products can bealso performed.

Further, a configuration in which the image feature storage 311 isprovided on the component supplier side and the product informationstorage 313 is provided on the producer side is used and descriptionsare made. Further, the embodiment 5-3 may have a configuration in whichboth are provided on the component supplier side, on the producer side,and on the third party on the network. Alternatively, the embodiment 5-3may have a configuration in which one of the both is provided on thethird party on the network.

Embodiment 5-4

Continuously, an embodiment 5-4 of the verification system of thisapplication will be described. In the present embodiment, a case wheredistribution log information is stored as the product information willbe described. In the embodiment 5-4, verification in the case where aproduct is set to a bag, a component is set to a slide fastener, apattern is set to a textured pattern, and product information is set toproduct identification information will be described. In addition, thesame configurations as those of the above-described embodiments areindicated by the same reference numerals, and the detailed descriptionwill be omitted.

FIG. 37 is a block diagram illustrating the verification systemaccording to the fourth embodiment. In addition to the configuration ofthe above-described embodiments, the verification system 1 of thepresent embodiment includes a registration unit 3123.

The registration unit 3123 searches the image feature storage 311 for animage feature that is consistent with the image feature extracted by thedetermination unit 3121, and stores the image feature and thedistribution log information about the fastener in association with eachother. Here, the image feature and the distribution log information arestored in association with each other; further, the distribution loginformation may be stored in a form added to the product informationexcept the distribution log information. Further, the distribution loginformation is not only one kind of information, but also information tobe stored may be increased in an added form.

The image feature storage 311 stores the image feature information ineach fastener and the distribution log information in association witheach other, and the image feature storage 311 is installed on thecomponent supplier side. The distribution log information is informationin which the distribution course of the fastener or the bag on which thefastener is fixed is accumulated as a log. For example, the distributionlog information is information about the distribution of a seller on theway of the distribution, a selling date and time, a passing date andtime and a passing place of a custom office or an imitation productinspection, a final seller, a final selling date and time, a purchaser,and the like.

Next, operations of the present embodiment will be described. First,operations for registering the distribution log information in thedistribution information database 5 will be described with reference toFIG. 38.

In a process of the distribution, by the cell-phone, a user transmits animage obtained by imaging the textured pattern in the predeterminedregion of the pull-tab, and the verification apparatus 312 receives theimage (S901).

By using the same method as the above-described method, the imagefeature extraction unit 201 of the verification apparatus 312 extractsthe image feature of the textured pattern in the predetermined regionfrom the received image, and outputs the extracted image feature to thedetermination unit 3121 (S902).

The registration unit 3123 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature storage 311 (S903).

In the case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S903), thedetermination unit 3121 stores the distribution log information inassociation with the image feature (S904). In the case where both arenot consistent with each other (NO of S903), the determination unit 3121stores the image feature and the distribution log information inassociation with each other (S905).

Operations for distribution authentication through the verificationapparatus 312 of the present embodiment are the same as those of theembodiment 5-2, and therefore the descriptions will be omitted.

In addition, in the descriptions, a configuration in which theregistration unit 3123 is provided in the verification apparatus 312 isused and descriptions are made. Further, by use of a configuration thatis different from that of the verification apparatus 312, a registrationdevice may be provided.

Further, in the descriptions, the distribution log information is storedin association with the image feature. In addition, the distribution loginformation may be further stored in association with the database inwhich the producer identification information, the productidentification information, the individual identification information,and the like are already associated with the image feature. Further, thedistribution log information is stored in the image feature database 11;further, a configuration in which a manager that manages thedistribution log information is newly arranged, for example, on thenetwork or the like may be used. In this case, the fourth embodiment hasa configuration in which a database in which the image feature in eachfastener and the fastener identification information are associated witheach other is provided on the component supplier side, a database inwhich the fastener identification information or the image feature, andthe product information, for example, the bag identification informationare associated with each other is provided on the producer side, andfurther a database in which the fastener identification information orthe image feature, and the distribution log information are associatedwith each other is provided on the manager side.

Further, the registration unit 3123 may be configured apart from theverification apparatus 312, and further a configuration in which amanager that manages the distribution log information is arranged may beused. A configuration in this case is illustrated in FIG. 39. Here, aconfiguration will be described in which a database in which the imagefeature in each fastener and the fastener identification information areassociated with each other is provided on the component supplier sideand a database in which the fastener identification information and thebag identification information are associated with each other isprovided on the producer side.

The registration device 3123 includes the registration unit. When thefastener identification information is received from the determinationunit 3121 of the verification apparatus 312, the registration unit 3123stores the fastener identification information and the fastenerdistribution information in the distribution information storage 315 inassociation with each other.

The distribution information storage 315 stores the fasteneridentification information and the distribution log information inassociation with each other, and is installed on the distributionmanager side.

In addition to operations of the above-described embodiments, on thebasis of the fastener identification information, the determination unit3121 of the verification apparatus 312 can search the distributioninformation storage 315 for the distribution log information.

First, operations for registering the distribution log information inthe distribution information storage 315 will be described withreference to FIG. 40.

In a process of the distribution, by the cell-phone, the user transmitsan image obtained by imaging the textured pattern in the predeterminedregion of the pull-tab, and the verification apparatus 312 receives theimage (S1101).

By using the same method as the above-described method, the imagefeature extraction unit 3122 of the verification apparatus 312 extractsthe image feature of the textured pattern in the predetermined regionfrom the received image, and outputs the extracted image feature to thedetermination unit 3121 (S1102).

The determination unit 3121 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature storage 311 (S1103).

In the case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S1103),the determination unit 3121 reads out the fastener identificationinformation in association with the image feature, and notifies theregistration unit 3123 of the read-out fastener identificationinformation (S1104). In the case where both are not consistent with eachother (NO of S1103), the process is ended.

The registration unit 3123 associates the notified fasteneridentification information and the distribution log information input bythe user with each other, and registers the distribution log informationin the distribution information storage 315 (S1105).

Next, operations for the distribution authentication through theverification apparatus 312 will be described with reference to FIG. 41.

A consumer transmits the image obtained by imaging the textured patternin the predetermined region of the pull-tab of the bag to beauthenticated in the distribution, and the verification apparatus 312receives the above image (S1201).

By using the same method as the above-described method, the imagefeature extraction unit 3122 of the verification apparatus 312 extractsthe image feature of the textured pattern in the predetermined regionfrom the received image, and outputs the extracted image feature to thedetermination unit 3121 (S1202).

The determination unit 3121 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature storage 311 (S1203).

In the case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S1203),the determination unit 3121 reads out the fastener identificationinformation in association with the image feature (S1204). On the basisof the read-out fastener identification information, the determinationunit 3121 searches the distribution information storage 315 for thedistribution log information (S1205). In the case where the distributioninformation storage 315 is searched for the distribution log information(YES of S1205), the searched-for distribution log information istransmitted to the cell-phone (S1206). The consumer may verify theconsistency between the received distribution log information andinformation about the distribution assumed from the obvious information(the brand, the serial number, and the like) from a logo and the likedescribed in the product or design of the bag, and authenticate the bagas an authentic product in the case where both is consistent with eachother. In addition, through the above configuration, a physicaldistribution management of the products can be also performed.

On the other hand, as a result of the verification at S1203, in the casewhere both are not consistent with each other (NO of S1203), and as aresult of the searching at 51205, in the case where the distributioninformation storage 315 is not searched for the distribution loginformation (NO of S1205), the determination unit 3121 transmits to thecell-phone the fact that information about the bag to be verified is notpresent (S1207). As a result, the consumer recognizes that the bag iscamouflaged or may be camouflaged.

In addition, the distribution information storage 315 on the managerside is provided in a distribution undertaker; further, may be stored ina form added to the image feature storage of the component dealer andthe product information database of the producer. In that case, thedistribution information storage 315 is managed through a string byinformation capable of searching for in common the componentidentification information, the image features of components, and thelike. Further, in the configuration as illustrated in FIG. 42, thedistribution log may be stored in association with each of the imagefeature database and the product information database.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if an RFIDchip is not built into merchandise one by one, the physical distributionmanagement, the authenticity assessment of the merchandise, and the likecan be verified. Therefore, the verification for the physicaldistribution management of the merchandise can be performed at low cost.Further, when the distribution log in the case of failure in theverification (both are not consistent with each other) is analyzed, afinding place and a period of the imitation product can be also grasped.

Embodiment 5-6

Continuously, a fifth embodiment of the verification system of thisapplication will be described. In the present embodiment, aconfiguration in which the verification information is stored as theproduct information will be described. In addition, the sameconfigurations as those of the above-described embodiments are indicatedby the same reference numerals, and the detailed descriptions will beomitted. Further, the embodiment 5-6 is applied to a case of the sameconfiguration as that of the embodiment 5-4, and the descriptions willbe made. Further, the fifth embodiment may be applied to anyconfiguration of the embodiments as described above.

In the image feature storage 311, the registration unit 3123 of thepresent embodiment stores, as the product information, the verificationinformation about verification results through the verificationapparatus 312 of the above-described embodiments. Further, in the casewhere the verification place is stored as the verification information,positional information of the cell-phone by which the image informationof the fastener to be verified is imaged is supposed to be acquired by aGPS function of the cell-phone, or by the positional information inputwith the use of the cell-phone through a consumer.

In addition, operations from the results up to the registration of theverification are the same operations as those of S903 to S905, andtherefore the detailed descriptions will be omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when theproducts or the components are verified, the verification results andinformation about a place and a date and time of an object to beverified, a person in charge that performs the verification, and thelike are accumulated as log data. Therefore, the component dealer or theproduct dealer can acquire market information about sales conditions,distribution course of his or her own products, how the products havebeen used, where an imitation product is generated, or the like.Further, the producer can acquire information obtained by performingmarket research or through distribution undertakers.

Embodiment 5-6

In the above-described embodiments, a consumer verifies the consistencybetween the verification results and the obvious information (the brand,the serial number, and the like) from a logo and the like described inthe product or design of the bag, and authenticates the bag as anauthentic product in the case where both are correctly consistent witheach other. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which theverification apparatus performs the above will be described withreference to FIG. 42. In addition, the same configurations as those ofthe second embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals, andthe detailed descriptions will be omitted. In the followingdescriptions, a case where the image feature of the fastener and thebrand name as the shipment destination information are stored in theimage feature storage 311 on the component supplier side in associationwith each other will be used, and the present embodiment will bedescribed. Any one of the configurations described in the first to fifthembodiments may be used.

In the verification apparatus 312 of the present embodiment, anauthentication unit 3124 that performs an authenticity assessment of theproduct to be verified is newly provided. The authentication unit 3124verifies the brand name of the bag transmitted from the cell-phone andthe shipment destination read-out by the determination unit 3121. In thecase where both are consistent with each other, the bag is authenticatedas an authentic product. On the other hand, in the case where both arenot consistent with each other, the bag is camouflaged or may becamouflaged is determined.

The cell-phone transmits the brand name of the bag to be verified inputby the consumer along with the imaged image.

Operations of the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 43.

For verifying the bag to be verified, by the cell-phone, the consumertransmits the brand name of the bag and the image obtained by imagingthe textured pattern in the predetermined region of the pull-tab, andthe verification apparatus 312 receives the image (S1401).

By using the same method as the above-described method, the imagefeature extraction unit 3122 of the verification apparatus 312 extractsthe image feature of the textured pattern in the predetermined regionfrom the received image, and outputs the extracted image feature to thedetermination unit 3121 (S1402).

The determination unit 3121 verifies the extracted image feature and theimage features registered in the image feature storage 311 (S1403). Inthe case where both are consistent with each other (YES of S1403), thedetermination unit 3121 reads out the shipment destination informationin association with the image feature and notifies the authenticationunit 3124 of the read-out shipment destination information (S1404). Theauthentication unit 3124 verifies the notified shipment destinationinformation and the received brand name of the bag (S1405). As a resultof the verification, in the case where both are consistent with eachother (YES of S1405), the bag is authenticated as an authentic productand the above fact is transmitted to the cell-phone (S1406). Thereby, animitation product, a false description, and further the imitationproduct using another fastener fabricated by a regular components dealercan be also refused.

On the other hand, as a result of the verification, in the case whereboth are not consistent with each other in the verification of S1403 (NOof S1403), or in the case where both are not consistent with each otherin the verification of S1405 (NO of S1405), the fact that both are notconsistent with each other is transmitted to the cell-phone 2 (S1407).As a result, the consumer recognizes that the bag is camouflaged or maybe camouflaged.

In the above-described embodiments, an authenticity assessment isperformed by a kind of information. Further, plural kinds of informationare input by the consumer, and the plural kinds of information may becombined to perform the authenticity assessment. In this case, a rate ofthe possibility that the bag is an authentic product or an imitationproduct can be also calculated and proposed to the consumer.

In the embodiments 5-1 to 5-5 described above, the verificationapparatus 312 performs the verification processing. Further, from adatabase in which the image features of the components are registeredlike the image feature storage 311, the image feature is previouslydownloaded, and the verification processing may be performed by thecell-phone without the communication.

Further, in the embodiments 5-1 to 5-5 described above, a configurationin which the image imaged by the cell-phone is transmitted to theverification apparatus 312 is used. Further, a configuration in whichthe image feature of the imaged image is extracted and the extractedimage is transmitted by the cell-phone, and the transmitted imagefeature is verified by the verification apparatus 312 may be used.

Further, the verification apparatus of the embodiments 5-1 to 5-5described above may be configured in the cell-phone.

In the above-described embodiments, when the distribution loginformation or the verification information is stored as the productinformation, statistical processing of information about thepredetermined component or product may be performed and a statisticalprocessing unit that outputs distribution, sales, and usage conditionsof the products may be provided. Further, when the verification resultsor the authentication results of the authenticity assessment of theproducts, and the verification places are stored as the verificationinformation, statistical processing of information about failure in theverification may be performed and an analyzing device that analyzesgeneration conditions of the imitation products may be provided.

As an example thereof, in the above-described embodiments, the brandname of the bag to be verified input by the consumer is stored in thedistribution information database 5 in association with the imagefeature of the textured pattern acquired from the fastener of the bag.

At this time, when a component producer manages the distributioninformation database, the fastener in association with the image patternused in the verification can be known to be used in which bag of whichbrand. Further, the fastener component dealer can know a usage purposeof the fastener and apply the usage purpose to performance or designing.Alternatively, when the producer of the products manages thedistribution information database, the produced product can be known tobe distributed to which area for usage, and marketing information aboutthe products can be obtained.

Further, in the case where an imitation product of a certain brand isdistributed in a certain area in plurality, when the brand is verifiedin the area, the fact that failure in the verification is generated inplurality is stored in the distribution information database 5.Accordingly, data that is failed in the verification is collected, andthereby distribution conditions of imitation products of the brand canbe statistically known.

Further, in the embodiments 5-1 to 5-4 described above, an example wherethe verification is performed for the authenticity assessment is usedand descriptions are made. Further, the verification can be, of course,used as a purpose not for performing the authenticity assessment but forspecifying an individual identification number, a production lot number,and the like of the product.

Embodiment 6

In the above embodiment, an embodiment has been described in whichcollation and retrieval of products are performed by utilizingdifferences in surface patterns (image patterns) in collation regions ofcomponents mounted on products or products. In the present embodiment,at least a part of the skeleton portion of the identification markattached to the component or the product is set as a collation region,by using the textured pattern formed in the collation region of thecomponent or the product or the component identifying the product havingthe component in one of its constituent elements. The terms used in thisembodiment will be described below. Note that the same names and numbersare given to the same configurations and phrases as those in the aboveembodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The term identification mark refers to characters, figures, symbols,three-dimensional shapes, or a combination of thereof, or a combinationthereof with colors, which are attached for identifying a component or aproduct. Examples of the identification mark include a trademark, alogo, the name of a manufacturer, the name of a manufacturing company,the name of a brand, the name of a product, a serial number, and a lotnumber.

The term skeleton part of an identification mark refers to the portionof the main shape of the identification mark that can serve as an objectperceived by human senses for identifying the identification mark, andis sometimes called colored portion or foreground portion. For example,assuming that there is an identification mark 451 as shown in FIG. 44,the identification mark 451 is comprised of a character portion 1 a of“XYZ”, a frame line portion 451 b enclosing the character portion 451 aof “XYZ”, and a planar portion 451 c. Out of these portions, the portionthat can serve as the object perceived by human senses for identifyingthe identification mark, i.e., the skeleton part of the identificationmark 451, is the character portion 451 a of “XYZ” and the frame lineportion 451 b. It should be noted that the skeleton part is notnecessarily three-dimensional having physical bumps or dips relative toportions other than the skeleton part, for example, to a texture(textile) portion, and it may be planar, similar to the other portions.

In this embodiment, the term matching area refers to at least a part ofa skeleton part of an identification mark. In other words, it means thatthe whole skeleton part or only a part of the skeleton part may bedefined as the matching area. In the example in FIG. 44, the characterportion 1 a and frame line portion 451 b, for example, may be thematching area, or only the character portion 451 a or frame line portion451 b may be the matching area. Furthermore, only a part of thecharacter portion 451 a or frame line portion 451 b may be the matchingarea.

The term textured pattern formed in a matching area in a skeleton partof an identification mark includes a textured pattern formed as a designof the skeleton part of the identification mark, and in addition, atextured pattern deliberately formed in the matching area in theskeleton part of the identification mark for identifying a component ora product. It further includes a case in which a textured pattern onlyin the matching area is used even when the textured pattern is formedall over the skeleton part of the identification mark.

Now specific embodiments will be described hereinbelow.

Embodiment 6-1

An embodiment 6-1 of the present invention will be described. FIG. 22 isa block diagram of this embodiment of the present invention.

An identification system in the embodiment 6-1 of the present inventioncomprises: an image feature storage 3 in which, with at least a part ofa skeleton part of an identification mark attached to a component or aproduct defined as a matching area, an image feature of a texturedpattern formed in the matching area is stored; and an identificationunit 11 for matching an image feature of a textured pattern formed in amatching area in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to acomponent or a product to be identified, or in a skeleton part of acomponent that is one of constituent elements of a product to beidentified, with an image feature stored in the image feature storageunit 3, and identifying the component, product, or product having thecomponent as one of its constituent elements to be identified.

The following description will address a case in which the component isa logo plate 462, and a bag 463 having the logo plate 462 as one of itsconstituent elements, i.e., bag 463 attached with the logo plate 462, isto be identified, as shown in FIG. 45. As such, assume that the portionof a character “X” within a skeleton part of an identification mark 1 ofthe logo plate 462 is defined as a matching area, in which area atextured pattern is formed, as shown in FIG. 46. The matching area,however, may be defined in a part of the character “X”, rather than thewhole character “X”. As such, possible processing methods for making thetextured pattern formed in the skeleton part of the identification markmay be generally classified into two types. One of the types is aprocessing method involving applying a textured pattern to a mold forfabricating a component and/or a product by injection molding orcasting. Methods of the other type include textured processing by aprocess of generating a microscopic random bumps-and-dips pattern foreach individual object, such as etching, blasting, cutting,crystal/powder coating, dispersion plating.

Next, imaging of the textured pattern in the matching area, extractionof the image feature of the textured pattern in the matching area, andregistration into the image feature storage 10 will be described;according to the present embodiment, the portion of the character “X” isdefined as the matching area, and the image feature of the texturedpattern formed in the matching area is extracted beforehand for storingin the image feature storage 10. In mold-based textured processing,several samples of the logo plate 462 undergoing textured processing bythe mold are chosen, and the textured pattern in the matching area ofthe samples of the logo plate 462 is imaged by an imaging apparatus, orthe textured pattern of the mold (the portion for applying texturedprocessing to a component or the like) is imaged by the imagingapparatus. Moreover, in the textured processing by finishing, thetextured pattern of each logo plate 462 in the matching area is imagedby the imaging apparatus. An image feature is extracted from the imagedtextured pattern and is registered in the image feature storage 10. Theextraction of an image feature from a captured image may be achieved byperforming extraction using an extraction technique for image featuresof fingerprints, such as the brightness value of the image, featurepoints, and points of inflection, intersecting points, end points andcenter points of lines in a binarized image.

In registering the image feature of the logo plate 462 in the imagefeature storage unit 3, management information for the bag 463 havingthe logo plate 462 as one of its constituent elements is registered incorrespondence with the image feature of the logo plate 462. By doingso, the bag 463 is identifiable insofar as the logo plate 462 isidentifiable.

Moreover, when extracting an image feature of a textured pattern in thematching area from a captured image of the textured pattern in thematching area, it is preferable to extract the image feature of thetextured pattern in the matching area after normalizing the capturedimage of the textured pattern in the matching area. Since at least apart of a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to acomponent or a product is defined as a matching area according to thepresent embodiment, the skeleton part of the identification mark may bedefined as a reference site. In the case of FIG. 46, for example, theportion of the character “X” within the skeleton part of theidentification mark 1 of the logo plate 462 is defined as the matchingarea (the inside of the dotted line). As such, since the character “X”within the skeleton part is a part of the identification mark 461 andhas a common shape and size among all samples of the logo plate 462, thecharacter “X” may be defined as a reference site. The features of thecharacter “X” serving as the reference site may then be stored, thusfacilitating identification of the position/posture of the character “X”in the captured image. Therefore, by normalizing and identifying theposition/posture of the character “X”, the position/posture of thecharacter “X” in the matching area may be normalized and specified forextracting the image feature of the textured pattern formed in thematching area. While a case in which the character “X” within theskeleton part is defined as the reference site is described in thepresent embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, andother component of the skeleton component, such as any other characteror the surrounding frame line portion 461 b, for example, may be definedas the reference site.

As described below, the collation/retrieval unit 6 normalizes a capturedimage of the textured pattern formed in the matching area 4 at thecharacter “X” in the logo plate 462 to be identified that is capturedunder predetermined imaging conditions, and extracts an image feature.The extracted image feature for the logo plate 462 to be identified isthen matched with an image feature stored in the image feature storage 3to thereby identify the logo plate 462. When the logo plate 462 can beidentified, the bag 463 can also be identified from managementinformation corresponding to the image feature of the logo plate 462.

Effects of the present embodiment described above are as follows:

(1) since the textured pattern for identifying a component or a productis formed in the skeleton part of the identification mark, the texturedpattern is perceived by human eyes as a colored region, thus inhibitingthe design or the like of the identification mark;(2) since the matching area is placed within the skeleton part of theidentification mark and the identification mark is ordinarily recognizedby anyone, it is easy, in identifying a component or a product, todetermine which portion to image for identifying the component orproduct; and(3) in extracting an image feature of the texture, the skeleton part ofthe identification mark may be defined as a reference site, whichenables easy normalization of the captured image.

This is because the skeleton part of the identification mark serving asthe reference site in components or products of the same kind is giventhe same pattern in common, independent of individual objects.

Embodiment 6-2

An embodiment 6-2 will be described. The embodiment 6-2 is directed toan identification system for a bag using a logo plate, in which anexample of the component is the logo plate, and a textured pattern isformed in a matching area in a skeleton part of an identification markin the logo plate by a mold. FIG. 47 is a configuration diagram of anidentification system for a bag.

An imaging unit 2501 exists in a party engaged in production of a bag463_1 (a manufacturer or the like of the bag) or a party engaged inquality control of the bag 100, for imaging a matching area in askeleton part of an identification mark in a logo plate 462_2 attachedto the bag 463_1 by a manufacturer or the like. The imaging unit 2501 isfor performing imaging under the predetermined imaging conditions asdescribed above. As for the number of samples to be imaged, sincegenerally the same textured pattern is formed for each mold in the caseof the mold-based textured processing, several samples of the logo platemay be chosen for each mold, and the chosen samples of the logo platemay be imaged. Moreover, the file type of the captured image isarbitrary, and may be JPEG or the like.

An image feature extracting unit 2502 is for extracting an image featureof a textured pattern in the matching area from the image captured atthe imaging unit 2501. The extraction of the image feature is achievedby, as described above, normalizing the image captured at the imagingunit 2501 using the skeleton part of the identification mark, and thenperforming extraction using an extraction technique for image featuresof fingerprints, such as the brightness value of the image, featurepoints, and points of inflection, intersecting points, end points andcenter points of lines in a binarized image. The thus-extracted imagefeatures are registered in an image feature database 2503.

The image feature database 2503 stores therein a mold, an image featureof the textured pattern in the matching area of the logo plate 462_1processed by the mold, and management information for the bag 463_1attached with the logo plate 462_1 in correspondence with one another,as shown in FIG. 48. It should be noted that the management informationrefers to a concept encompassing identification information for acomponent or a product, or a product attached with the component, and inaddition, management information for the component or product such asproduction information including the place of manufacture, product line,and date and time of production for the component or product, anddistribution information including the name of the product in which thecomponent is used, delivery destination, date of delivery, and the like.

As such, by making an image feature of a textured pattern in a componentin correspondence with management information for the component orproduct, or product attached with the component, it is possible toachieve acquisition of historical information on the identified logoplate 462_1 (component), and identification of the bag 463_1 (a producthaving the component as one of its constituent elements) attached withthe logo plate 462_1 as well.

The imaging unit 2504 and image feature extracting unit 2505 exist in aparty that performs matching/identification of a bag, such as aninspection department for the bag, a delivery destination for the bag,and a dealer or a purchaser of the bag, and the units 2504, 2505 havesimilar configurations to those of the imaging unit 2501 and imagefeature extracting unit 2502.

The matching unit 2506 matches an image feature in a matching area of alogo plate 462_2 in a bag 463_2 to be matched that is extracted at theimage feature extracting unit 2505 with an image feature stored in theimage feature database 2503, and in the case that there is found amatched entry, it decides that the logo plate 462_2 in the bag 463_2 tobe matched is an authorized logo plate registered in the image featuredatabase 2503. For example, when an image feature of the logo plate462_1 is “YYY”, the logo plate 462_1 may be identified as that processedby the mold 2. The bag 463_1 attached with the logo plate 462_1 may bethen identified as that with management information “100”.

An image feature matching method may comprise, for example, defining endpoints, intersecting points, and corners of lines in the texturedpattern as feature points, matching the positions of the feature points,and deciding identity in the case that the number of pairs of featurepoints lying at the same position (within a certain threshold range) isa certain number or more. Such a matching technique may be achieved byemploying any existing fingerprint matching technique.

It should be noted that the imaging unit, image feature extracting unit,image feature database, and matching unit described above each may standalone and be connected with one another via a network, or several onesamong them may be integrally present.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an individualobject of a component or a product, or a mold used in manufacture of thecomponent or product may be subjected to matching relying upon atextured pattern formed in a skeleton part of an identification markwhile eliminating the need for any special apparatus such as a tag foridentifying an article or an RFID tag, and at the same time, withoutdegrading the design of the identification mark such as a trademark or alogo. In particular, according to this embodiment 6-2, generally thesame textured pattern is formed for each mold because of mold-basedtextured processing, which is useful when mold-based matching isperformed, for example, in mold-based quality inspection. Moreover, itenables decision of a fake product because fake products and the likeare produced using a different mold from that for authorized products.

Embodiment 6-3

An embodiment 6-3 will be described. The embodiment 6-3 is directed toan identification system for a bag using a logo plate, in which anexample of the article is the logo plate, and a textured pattern isindividually formed in a matching area in a skeleton part of anidentification mark in a logo plate zipper by blasting. FIG. 49 is aconfiguration diagram of a matching system for a zipper.

An imaging unit 2501 exists in a party engaged in production of a bag463_1 (a manufacturer or the like of the bag) or a party engaged inquality control of the bag 463_1, for imaging a matching area in askeleton part of an identification mark in a logo plate 462_1 attachedto the bag 463_1 by a manufacturer or the like. In addition, the imagingunit 2501 is for performing imaging under the predetermined imagingconditions described above. Moreover, the file type of the capturedimage is arbitrary, and may be JPEG or the like.

An image feature extracting unit 2502 is for extracting an image featureof a textured pattern in the matching area from the image captured atthe imaging unit 2501. The extraction of the image feature is achievedby, as described above, normalizing the image captured at the imagingunit 2501 using the skeleton part of the identification mark, and thenperforming extraction using an extraction technique for image featuresof fingerprints, such as the brightness value of the image, featurepoints, and points of inflection, intersecting points, end points andcenter points of lines in a binarized image. The thus-extracted imagefeatures are registered in an image feature database 2503.

The image feature database 2503 stores therein individual objectidentification information for identifying an individual object of thelogo plate 462_1, an image feature of the textured pattern in thematching area of the logo plate 462_1, and management information forthe bag 463_1 attached with the logo plate 462_1 in correspondence withone another, as shown in FIG. 50. The individual object identificationinformation for the logo plate 462_1 may include management informationfor the component or product such as production information includingthe place of manufacture, product line, and date and time of productionfor the component or product, and distribution information including thename of the product in which the component is used, deliverydestination, date of delivery, and the like. Moreover, the managementinformation for the bag 463_1 refers to a concept encompassingidentification information for a component or a product, or a productattached with the component, and in addition, management information forthe component or product such as production information including theplace of manufacture, product line, and date and time of production forthe component or product, and distribution information including thename of the product in which the component is used, deliverydestination, date of delivery, and the like.

As such, by making an image feature of a textured pattern in a componentin correspondence with management information for the component orproduct, or product attached with the component, it is possible toachieve acquisition of historical information on the identified logoplate 462_1 (component), and identification of the bag 463_1 (a producthaving the component as one of its constituent elements) attached withthe logo plate 462_1 as well.

The imaging unit 2504 and image feature extracting unit 2505 exist in aparty that performs matching/identification of a bag, such as aninspection department for the bag, and a delivery destination for thebag, including a dealer or a purchaser of the bag, and the units 2504,2505 have similar configurations to those of the imaging unit 2501 andimage feature extracting unit 2502.

The matching unit 2506 matches an image feature in a matching area of alogo plate 462_2 in a bag 463_2 to be matched that is extracted at theimage feature extracting unit 2505 with an image feature stored in theimage feature database 2503, and in the case that there is found amatched entry, it decides that the logo plate 462_2 to be matched is anauthorized logo plate registered in the image feature database 2503. Forexample, when the image feature of the logo plate 462_2 is “YYY”, thelogo plate 462_2 may be identified as that specified by identificationinformation “logo plate 2”. The bag 463_2 attached with the logo plate462_2 may be then identified as that with management information “200”.

An image feature matching method may comprise, for example, defining endpoints, intersecting points, and corners of lines in the texturedpattern as feature points, matching the positions of the feature points,and deciding identity in the case that the number of pairs of featurepoints lying at the same position (within a certain threshold range) isa certain number or more. Such a matching technique may be achieved byemploying any existing fingerprint matching technique.

It should be noted that the imaging unit, image feature extracting unit,image feature database, and matching unit described above each may standalone and be connected with one another via a network, or several onesamong them may be integrally present.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an individualobject of a component or a product, or a mold used in manufacture of thecomponent or product may be subjected to matching relying upon atextured pattern formed in a skeleton part of an identification markwhile eliminating the need for any special apparatus such as a tag foridentifying an article or an RFID tag, and at the same time, withoutdegrading the design of the identification mark such as a trademark or alogo. In particular, according to this third embodiment, since texturedprocessing is based on finishing marks, and a textured pattern is formeddifferently from component to component or from product to product,matching of a component or a product may be distinguished at the levelof the individual object.

Embodiment 6-4

An embodiment 6-4 will be described. The embodiment 6-4 is directed toan identification system for a bag using a logo plate, in which anexample of the article is the logo plate, and over a textured patternfor the logo plate applied by a mold, blasting, textured finish bypowder coating, or plating is applied as a later finishing process. FIG.51 is a configuration diagram of an identification system for a bag.

An imaging unit 2501 exists in a party engaged in production of a bag463_1 (a manufacturer or the like of the bag) or a party engaged inquality control of the bag 463_1, for imaging a matching area in askeleton part of an identification mark in a logo plate 462_1 attachedto the bag 463_1 by a manufacturer or the like. The imaging unit 2501 isfor performing imaging under the predetermined imaging conditionsdescribed above. Moreover, the file type of the captured image isarbitrary, and may be JPEG or the like.

An image feature extracting unit 2502 is for extracting an image featureof a textured pattern in the matching area from the image captured atthe imaging unit 2501. The extraction of the image feature is achievedby, as described above, normalizing the image captured at the imagingunit 2501 using the skeleton part of the identification mark, and thenperforming extraction using an extraction technique for image featuresof fingerprints, such as the brightness value of the image, featurepoints, and points of inflection, intersecting points, end points andcenter points of lines in a binarized image. The thus-extracted imagefeatures are registered in an image feature database 2503.

In acquiring an image feature of the logo plate 462_1, the logo plate462_1 has a textured pattern applied by a mold, and thereover, blasting,textured finish by powder coating, or plating is applied as a laterfinish process. Therefore, as described above, differences in featurefrom individual object to individual object are additionally provided byfurther finishing while preserving differences in feature from mold tomold as they are. Accordingly, it is desirable to choose several samplesof the logo plate 462_1 for each mold, and acquire only an image featureof the textured pattern by the mold before the later finish process(which will be referred to as mold difference image feature). For otherindividual objects, an image feature of the textured pattern after thelater finish process (individual object difference image feature) isacquired in addition to the mold-based textured pattern.

Exemplary methods for acquiring the mold difference image feature andindividual object difference image feature include the following:Represent the size of each microscopic bump and dip generated bytextured processing applied to a mold as a, and that of each of bumpsand dips further generated by the later finish process as b. As such,assume that the texturing processes are controlled so that a>b, forexample. In images of individual objects manufactured from the samemold, flecks are generated with size a mixed with those with size b. Assuch, only the flecks having an approximate size of a may be acquired asfeature points to acquire a mold difference image feature. Moreover, theflecks with size b may be extracted to acquire an individual objectdifference image feature.

More stable mold matching may be achieved by extracting the molddifference feature from a plurality of samples and taking their averageand the like.

The image feature database 2503 stores therein individual identificationinformation for identifying an individual object of the logo plate462_1, an image feature of the textured pattern in the matching area bythe mold with which the logo plate 462_1 is produced (mold differenceimage feature), an image feature of the textured pattern formed over thematching area in the logo plate 462_1 produced with each mold during alater finish process (individual object difference image feature), andmanagement information for the bag 300 attached with the logo plate 310in correspondence with one another, as shown in FIG. 52. The individualobject identification information for the logo plate 462_1 may includemanagement information for the component or product such as productioninformation including the place of manufacture, product line, and dateand time of production for the component or product, and distributioninformation including the name of the product in which the component isused, delivery destination, date of delivery, and the like. Moreover,the management information for the bag 463_1 refers to a conceptencompassing identification information for a component or a product, ora product attached with the component, and in addition, managementinformation for the component or product such as production informationincluding the place of manufacture, product line, and date and time ofproduction for the component or product, and distribution informationincluding the name of the product in which the component is used,delivery destination, date of delivery, and the like.

As such, by making an image feature of a textured pattern in a componentin correspondence with management information for the component orproduct, or product attached with the component, it is possible toachieve acquisition of historical information on the identified logoplate 462_1 (component), and identification of the bag 463_1 (a producthaving the component as one of its constituent elements) attached withthe logo plate 462_1 as well.

The imaging unit 2504 and image feature extracting unit 2505 exist in aparty that performs matching/identification of a bag, such as aninspection department for the bag, and a delivery destination for thebag, including a dealer or a purchaser of the bag, and the units 2504,2505 have similar configurations to those of the imaging unit 2501 andimage feature extracting unit 2502.

The matching unit 2506 matches an image feature in a matching area of alogo plate 452_2 in a bag 453_2 to be identified that is extracted atthe image feature extracting unit 2505 with an image feature stored inthe image feature database 2503, and in the case that there is found amatched entry, it decides that the logo plate 452_2 to be identified isan authorized logo plate registered in the image feature database 2503.As such, the matching unit 2506 initially matches the image feature inthe matching area of the logo plate 452_2 in the bag 4503_2 to beidentified with the image feature of the textured pattern (molddifference image feature) in the matching area by the mold to therebydistinguish a mold with which the logo plate 4502_2 is produced. Next,it matches an individual object difference image feature of a group ofzippers produced with the distinguished mold with the image feature(individual object difference image feature) of the logo plate 4502_2 tocheck an individual object of the logo plate 4502_2.

For example, in the case that an image feature of the logo plate 4502_2is “AAA+YYY”, screening using the size of flecks or the thickness oflines, for example, can separate the image feature into the featurepoint AAA and the feature point YYY, as described above. Since the imagefeature of the logo plate 4502_2 includes “AAA”, the product may bedistinguished as that produced from a mold A. Then, an image feature ofa group of logo plates produced form the mold A may be matched with theimage feature “AAA+YYY” of the logo plate 4502_2 to be matched tothereby identify the logo plate 4502_2 as a logo plate specified byidentification information “logo plate 2”. The bag 4503_2 attached withthe logo plate 4502_1 may be then identified as that with managementinformation “101”.

It should be noted that the imaging unit, image feature extracting unit,image feature database, and matching unit described above each may standalone and be connected with one another via a network, or several onesamong them may be integrally present.

As described above, a characteristic point of the embodiment 6-4 isthat, in addition to the effects in the 6-2 and 6-3 embodimentsdescribed above, it is not necessary to perform matching with allregistered image features even when an individual object of a componentor a product is to be identified, which achieves high-speed matchingprocessing. Moreover, hierarchical matching may be achieved byperforming merely mold-level matching for producing the component orproduct while eliminating the need to perform individual object-levelmatching of a component or a product.

Embodiment 6-5

An embodiment 6-5 will be described. The embodiment 6-5 is aregistration apparatus for: applying textured finish generatingmicroscopic random bumps and dips to at least a part of a skeleton partof an identification mark attached to a component such as a logo plate,and forming a textured pattern for matching; with at least a part of askeleton part formed with a textured pattern defined as a matching area,imaging a textured pattern in a matching area under predeterminedimaging conditions; and registering in a database identificationinformation for identifying the component in correspondence with animage feature of the imaged textured pattern in a matching area.

FIG. 53 is a block diagram of the registering apparatus in theembodiment 6-5.

The registering apparatus in the embodiment 6-5 comprises: a beltconveyor 401 for carrying a component 400; a textured pattern formingunit 402 for forming a textured pattern in the component 400; an imagingunit 403 for imaging the textured pattern in the matching area of thecomponent 400 under predetermined imaging conditions; an image featureextracting unit 404 for extracting an image feature in the matching areafrom an image captured at the imaging unit 403; and an image featureregistering unit 405 for registering the extracted image feature incorrespondence with identification of the component into an imagefeature database 406.

The textured pattern forming unit 402 is for applying textured finishgenerating microscopic random bumps and dips to at least a part of askeleton part of an identification mark attached to a component, andforming a textured pattern for matching. Representative examples oftextured finish include sand blasting, etching-based surface processing,and blasting coating, although other methods may apply. Moreover, whileit is preferable to apply textured finish precisely to a matching areain the skeleton part of the identification mark, the textured patternmay be formed at least within the matching area because some offset orthe like may be handled in later image processing.

The imaging unit 403 images the matching area in the component 400formed with a textured pattern and carried by the belt conveyor 401 bythe method as in the imaging conditions described regarding the firstembodiment above, and outputs a captured image to the image featureextracting unit 404.

The image feature extracting unit 404 is for extracting an image featureof the textured pattern in the matching area from the image captured atthe imaging unit 403. The extraction of the image feature is achievedusing an extraction technique for image features of fingerprints, suchas the brightness value of the image, feature points, and points ofinflection, intersecting points, end points and center points of linesin a binarized image. When needed, the extraction of the image featureis performed after normalization using the skeleton part of theidentification mark, as described earlier.

The image feature registering unit 405 registers the image feature ofthe component 400 extracted by the image feature extracting unit 404 incorrespondence with the identification information for the component 400into the image database 406.

According to such a registration apparatus, the process beginning fromtextured finish for identification down to registration of an imagefeature may be automatically performed.

Embodiment 7

Embodiment 7 of the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the validity ofthe components mounted on the main body of the product to beauthenticated is confirmed using the trademark attached to thecomponents. It is a technique to determine the authenticity of a productbased on whether the combination of the component and the body whosevalidity is confirmed is correct or not. In order to explain thefeatures of the present invention, it will be concretely described belowwith reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 7-1

FIG. 54 is a block diagram of the authenticity determination systemaccording to Embodiment 7-1 of the present invention.

The authenticity determination system of this embodiment includes animaging unit 71, an image feature extracting unit 72, an informationinput unit 73, an imaging unit 74, a product information of authentictarget input unit 75, a registered trademark database 81, an imagefeature database 82, and a determination device 83.

The imaging unit 71 captures an image of a component surface includingat least a collation area of a component attached to the main body ofthe product. The image feature extraction unit 72 extracts imagefeatures of the collation area from the image captured by the imagingunit 71. The information input unit 73 inputs the registered trademarkof the construction and the information of the product having theconstruction as a constituent element. The imaging unit 74 captures animage of the surface of the component including at least the collationarea of the component attached to the main body of the product to beauthenticated. The product information of authentic target input unit 75inputs the trademark information and the product information of thecomponents attached to the product to be authenticated.

In the registered trademark database 81, as shown in FIG. 55, the imagefeature extracted by the image feature extraction unit 72 and theregistered trademark of the component input by the information inputunit 3 are stored in association with each other. The registeredtrademark database 81 is a database created in advance on the side of amanager such as a component producer. Here, the registered trademarkinformation is information on trademarks registered under the trademarksystem of each country. Registered trademark information is informationon registration information attached to the component by themanufacturer of the component. In the present embodiment, a characterstring indicating a registered trademark will be described as anexample. The product information database 82 stores the image featureextracted by the image feature extraction unit 72 and the information ofthe product to which the component input by the information input unit73 is attached in association with each other. The product informationdatabase 82 is a database that is created in advance on the componentmanufacturer side or the manager side such as a manufacturer whomanufactures products, for example. Incidentally, although theexplanation will be made using registered trademarks in thisexplanation, it goes without saying that it is applicable even if it isa so-called unregistered well-known trademark or an unregisteredwell-known trademark.

The determination apparatus 83 includes an image extraction unit 8301, aconfirmation unit 8302, and a determination unit 8303. The imageextraction unit 8301 extracts image features from the image captured bythe imaging unit 74. The confirmation unit 8302 collates the extractedimage feature and trademark information among the product informationinput by the authentication target information input 75 with the imagefeature and registered trademark stored in the registered trademarkdatabase 81. In this way, it is checked whether or not the part attachedto the main body of the product to be authenticated is legitimate. Then,when the validity of the component is confirmed, the determination unit8303 determines whether or not the combination of the image feature ofthe component whose validity is confirmed and the product informationinput by the authenticity object information input 75 is the productinformation database 82, whether or not it is the same as thecombination of the image feature and the product information stored inthe authentication information storage means.

Next, the operation will be described. Incidentally, the followingexplanation will be described using a bag as a product, a slide fasteneras a component, and a textured pattern as a pattern. The followingdescription will be described using an example in which the entiretextured finish pattern of the concave portion of the slide fastenerpull hand is used as a collation area. However, it is not necessary tobe limited to these.

First, the construction of the registered trademark database 81 and theproduct information database 82 will be described. The imaging unit 71captures the image of the component surface including at least thecollation area of the fastener attached to the main body of the bag. Theimage feature extraction unit 72 extracts image features of thecollation area from the image captured by the imaging unit 71. Theextracted image feature is stored in the registered trademark database81 in association with the registered trademark of the component inputby the information input unit 73. For example, the image featureextracting unit 72 extracts the image feature “XXX” of the collationarea from the image captured by the image capturing unit 71, associatesit with the registered trademark “A” of the component input by theinformation input unit 73 And stores it in the registered trademarkdatabase 81. Likewise, the image extracting unit 72 stores the extractedimage feature and the information of the product input by theinformation input unit 73 in association with each other in the productinformation database 82. For example, the extracted image feature “XXX”is associated with the information “bag” of the product input by theinformation input unit 73 in the product information database 82.

Next, the operation of authenticity determination will be described. Theimaging unit 74 captures an image of the surface including at least thecollation area of the component attached to the main body of the productas the object of the authentication determination. For example, theimaging unit 74 captures an image of a surface including at least acollation area of a fastener attached to the main body of a bag that isan authentic target. On the other hand, the authenticity objectinformation input unit 75 inputs the trademark information of thecomponents attached to the bag product to be authenticated and theproduct information. For example, it is assumed that the authenticityobject information input unit 75 inputs the trademark information “A”and the product information “bag”.

The image extracting unit 8301 extracts image features from the image inwhich the textured pattern of the component attached to the product thatis an object of genuineness determination is imaged. Here, it is assumedthat the image feature “XXX” is extracted. The confirmation unit 8302compares the image feature extracted by the image extraction unit 8301with the image feature of the component stored in the registeredtrademark database 81. When there is a match, it is checked whether theregistered trademark associated with the image feature matches thetrademark information entered by the authenticity object informationinput unit 75. And confirms the validity as to whether the part mountedon the main body of the product as the authenticating target is agenuine article or not, depending on whether or not they match. In thiscase, since the image feature “XXX” and the trademark information “A”,validity is confirmed.

When the validity is confirmed, the determination unit 8303 compares theimage feature extracted by the image extracting unit 8301 with the imagefeature of the component stored in the product information database 82.When there is a match as a result of the collation, it is confirmedwhether or not the product information associated with the image featureand the product information input by the authenticity object informationinput unit 5 match. And determines the authenticity of the product thatis the object of the authentication based on whether or not they match.If they match, they can be authenticated as authentic. Here, the imagefeature “XXX” and the product information “bag” are stored, and matchinginformation is stored in the product information database 82. Therefore,it is determined to be a genuine article. On the other hand, as a resultof the collation, if matching cannot be confirmed, it is determined thatthere is a possibility of being a counterfeit product.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to determine theproduct by confirming the validity by the registered trademark attachedto the part. Therefore, it is possible to judge a product withoutpreparing a special device such as an IC tag.

Embodiment 7-2

Next, a description will be given of Embodiment 7-2 of the authenticitydetermination system of the present invention. A mode of statisticallyprocessing and analyzing the result of authentication determination inthe embodiment 7 will be described. Incidentally, the same referencenumerals are attached to the same configurations as those in the aboveembodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 56 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the present invention.In addition to the configuration of Embodiment 7-1, the determinationapparatus has a registration unit 8304. Further, the authenticitydetermination system further includes an analysis device 84 having adetermination result database 8305, an analysis unit 8306, and aclustering unit 8307.

The registration unit 8304 associates the image feature of the componentof the product of the object of the authentication determination targetextracted by the image extraction unit 8301, the determination result ofthe determination unit 8303 and the determination place informationindicating the place where the determination is performed. Examples ofthe determination location are the place where the determination unit 83is installed, the customs clearance place of customs, the place of saleof the product, and the like. Incidentally, as the distribution loginformation, it is preferable that the judgment location is stored suchthat the history of the distribution history remains as a distributionlog so that the history of distribution can be known.

FIG. 57 is an example of the determination result database. In thedetermination result data database 8305, the image feature, thedetermination result, and the determination location information outputfrom the registration unit 8304 and the group label registered by theclustering unit 8307 are stored in association with each other. Theclustering unit 8307 calculates a collation score of each pair of imagefeatures by matching between all combinations of pairs of all imagefeatures stored in the determination result database 8305. Then, theclustering unit 8307 performs clustering of the image features based onthe calculated collation scores. At this time, the clustering unit 8307calculates the collation score using a Markov Cluster Algorithm(Non-Patent Literature 1: Stijin van Dongon, Graph Clustering by Flowsimulation, PhD thesis, University of Utrecht, May 2000) to cluster theimage features. Then, the clustering unit 8307 assigns a group labelnumber to each group in order to uniquely identify a group generated bythe clustering, relates each image feature with the group label numberof group to which the image feature stored in the determination resultdatabase 8305 belong, and stores the group label number in thedetermination result database 8305.

Herein below, an example will be used to describe clustering processingperformed by the clustering unit 8307. For example, it is assumed thatthe determination result database 8305 includes image features oftextured patterns 0001 to 0005, as depicted in (a) of FIG. 58. Theclustering unit 8307 calculates the collation score of each pair presentregarding the image features 0001 to 0005. In the example depicted in(a) of FIG. 58, there are 10 pairs of being 0001 and 0002, 0001 and0003, 0001 and 0004, 0001 and 0005, 0002 and 0003, 0002 and 0004, 0002and 0005, 0003 and 0004, 0003 and 0005, and 0004 and 0005. Herein, thecollation scores of the respective pairs are assumed to be set asdepicted in (b) of FIG. 58:

0001 and 0002: 0.5,0001 and 0003: 0.5,0001 and 0004: 0.1,0001 and 0005: 0.1,0002 and 0003: 0.6,0002 and 0004: 0.2,0002 and 0005: 0.1,0003 and 0004: 0.1,0003 and 0005: 0.2, and0004 and 0005: 0.5.

Then, scores between 0001, 0002, and 0003 are 0.5 to 0.6, and the scorebetween 0004 and 0005 is 0.5. Thus, as depicted in c) of FIG. 58,clustering forms two groups: a group of 0001, 0002, and 0003 and a groupof 0004 and 0005. The clustering processing unit 12 assigns a grouplabel number “0001” to the group of 0001, 0002, and 0003, and a grouplabel number “0002” to the group of 0004 and 0005.

Herein, the description has been made for the clustering processingusing the Markov Cluster Algorithm. Instead of this, another method forclustering may be used, such as a K-means method or a hierarchicalclustering method (Non-Patent Literature 2: Masatoshi Okutomi, MasaoShimizu, et al., ed.: “Digital Image Processing”, CG-ARTS Society,issued on Mar. 1, 2006, p. 231-232).

The analysis unit 8306 analyzes, for each group, at least one of thedistribution information and the product information related with theimage feature belonging to each group formed by the clustering, anddisplays a map of a result of the analysis.

Next, an operation of the invention of the present application will bedescribed. FIG. 59 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of theinvention of the present application.

The clustering unit 8307 reads all image features stored in thedetermination result database 8305 (step S1).

The clustering unit 8307 calculates the collation score of each pair ofimage features by matching between all combinations of the imagefeatures (step S2).

The clustering unit 8307 clusters the image features based on thecalculated collation

The clustering unit 8307 assigns the group label number to eachgenerated group and relates the group label numbers with each of theimage features stored in the determination result database 8305 to storethe group label numbers (step S4).

The analysis unit 8306 analyzes the determination result information andplaces information related with the image features belonging to each ofthe clustered groups by statistical processing and visualizes a resultof the analysis as shown in FIG. 60 (step S5).

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily verify anobject to be analyzed by statistically processing the result ofauthentication determination. Incidentally, the statistical processingof this embodiment can be combined with the embodiments of the first tosixth embodiments. Also in this case, the same effect as the aboveembodiment can be obtained.

Embodiment 7-3

In the present embodiment, even if the manufacturing mold of each partto be authenticated is unknown, the image feature of the manufacturingmold used at the time of manufacturing the component is extracted, andthe configuration of authenticity determination using the image featureexplain.

Components are randomly extracted from the components group manufacturedfrom all manufacturing molds and the reference area of all theindividual of the extracted components are captured. The number ofcomponents extracted at this time is determined according to the numberof manufacturing molds. However, it is preferable that the number ofcomponents to be extracted is large so as to cover componentsmanufactured from all manufacturing molds.

It is desirable that only the difference between the manufacturing moldsis used as the variation factor of the surface pattern in the capturedimage of each component. Specifically, it is desirable that the image iscaptured in a state where lighting fluctuation during image capturingand relative posture fluctuation between the camera and the subject aresmall. Further, it is desirable that the image is captured using thesame image capturing apparatus so as not to be affected by individualdifferences on the image capturing apparatus side. In particular, inorder to suppress lighting fluctuation and obtain an image with highcontrast suitable for collation, the capturing method described in thesecond embodiment is desired. However, it is not limited to this as longas it is a shooting method that suppresses the above-mentionedfluctuation factors.

For the image group of each component collected by the above capturingmethod, the image is normalized using the features of the common logo ofeach component. By the normalization processing, positional deviationdue to attitude variation between images is corrected. This makes itpossible to extract image features at the same position of eachcomponent. It is desirable to minimize the error due to thenormalization processing. It is desirable to perform registration at thesubpixel level, for example by using the Lucas Kanade method describedabove.

Next, an operation in this embodiment will be described. It should benoted that the image feature extraction and verification method isperformed in the same operation as in the fourth embodiment. The methodof clustering the collation result is performed in the same operation asin Embodiment 7-2. Therefore, a detailed description thereof will beomitted.

Registering representative image features of each cluster obtained byclustering. A representative image feature referred to, for example, anaverage image feature of all image features classified as clusters. Inaddition, a plurality of image features may be registered for eachcluster. Practically, it is desirable to register a plurality of imagefeature quantities so that the distribution of image feature quantitieswithin the cluster can be accurately represented. In addition, the imagefeatures representing each cluster may be determined using a methodbased on existing machine learning or a statistical method. When using amethod based on machine learning, it is desirable that the number ofindividuals of the captured component is sufficient.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, whenregistering image features of a manufacturing component for the purposeof performing genuineness/counterfeit determination of manufacturedcomponents, it is possible to obtain the number of molds to bemanufactured can be registered in the database. As a result, it ispossible to construct an image feature database for efficientauthentication determination with reduced registration cost.Particularly, in the case of a mass-produced part, it is difficult toextract a sample for each mold because the components manufactured fromeach mold frequently mix in the manufacturing process. For example, inthe case of a casting having a plurality of molds in one mold,components made from different molds are likely to mix when taking outparts from the mold. In order to take out the components separately foreach mold and mold, it is necessary to pay a large cost such as stoppingthe production line and rebuilding the manufacturing line itself. Also,in the case of a component manufacturer, it is possible to accuratelyascertain the number of molds to be manufactured, while finished productmanufacturers using the components, distributors dealing with parts andfinished products, etc. obtain such information, It is basicallydifficult. According to the present embodiment, a finished productmaker, a distributor, or the like can construct a database for efficientauthentication judgment that focuses only on image featurescorresponding to the number of manufacturing molds.

Embodiment 8

This embodiment 8 is characterized by extracting unit configured toextract an image of an information display body and an image of thetextured pattern from an image including at least the informationdisplay body for displaying information on the component, the product,or a product including the component as its component and the texturedpattern formed on the component or the products, acquiring unitconfigured to acquire information on the component or the products fromthe extracted image of the information display body, and identifyingunit configured to identify the component, the product, or the productincluding the component as its component by matching image feature ofthe extracted image of the textured pattern with image feature stored inthe image feature storage unit.

Although the present embodiment will be described below, a texturedpattern formed on components or products, products, or components is thesame as in the above embodiment, so a detailed description thereof willbe omitted.

The information display body displaying information on a component or aproduct expresses the information on the component or the product withletters and/or figures. Examples of the information display body includea serial number, a trademark, a logo, a name of manufacturer, a name ofproducer, a brand name, a product name, a product number, a rod number,and a URL (Uniform Resource Locators). Here, the textured pattern may beformed on a skeleton part of the information display body, or may beformed on a background area of the information display body. Thetextured pattern may have any granularity (e.g., may have any size, anydiameter, any density, etc. of a particle(s)) in so far as thegranularity does not affect on recognition of the information displaybody. It is sufficient that the granularity of the textured pattern issmaller than granularity of the information display body. For example,the textured pattern is formed in a manner that, as illustrated in FIG.61, granularity (diameter) of each bump and dip of the textured pattern(including a bump and dip which is made of adjacent bumps and dipsformed into an aggregate) becomes smaller than a half of an edge widthof a skeleton part of the information display body. As described later,in a case of assuming that the textured pattern is removed by using afilter for removing a high frequency component corresponding togranularity of a textured surface, if a size of the bump and dip of thetextured surface is larger than the half of the edge width of theinformation display body, the edge of the information display body isalso removed during removal of the textured surface. However, if thegranularity of the bump and dip of the textured pattern is formedsmaller than the edge width of the skeleton part of the informationdisplay body to a level at which the information display body can berecognized, the textured pattern can be removed while the edge of theinformation display part can be remained as it is. Therefore, it becomeseasy to separate image feature of the information display body fromimage feature of the textured pattern. For example, in a case where theinformation display body is an outlined letter, it is preferable thatthe granularity of the bump and dip of the textured pattern is smallenough than an outline width of the letter (e.g., smaller than a half ofthe outline width of the letter), i.e., is small enough but theinformation display body still can be recognized. Alternatively, atextured surface may be subjected to blast working in order to reducedensity with dots smaller than a thickness of a line of the informationdisplay body.

In the extraction processing of extracting the image of the informationdisplay body and the image of the textured pattern from the capturedimage, the filter for removing high frequency component is applied toremove the textured pattern from the captured image, the high frequencycomponent corresponding to the size of the granularity of the texturedsurface. This ensures acquisition of the image of the informationdisplay body. A blurred image of the information display body that thetextured surface was deleted is recovered, as required, by using arecovery technique for recovering a low resolution image. A superresolution technique disclosed in, for example, WO 2012/029238A1 may beemployed for the recovery technique. Alternatively, any other recoverytechnique may also be employed. The image of the textured pattern isacquired by taking a difference between the original image and thecaptured image (the image of the information display body) afterremoving the high frequency component.

As described in the above embodiments, in the processing of obtainingimage feature from the image of the textured pattern, at least a portionof the information display body is used as a reference section tonormalize the image of the textured pattern, and thereafter the imagefeature thereof are extracted.

Embodiment 8-1

An embodiment 8-1 according to the present invention will be describedbelow. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the embodiment 8-1 according to thepresent invention.

An identification system of the embodiment 8-1 according to the presentinvention includes an image feature storage unit 6410, an extractionunit 6411, an acquisition unit 6412, and an identification unit 6413.The image feature storage unit 6410 stores image feature of a texturedpattern formed on a component, a product, or a product including thecomponent as its component. The extraction unit 6411 extracts an imageof an information display body and an image of the textured pattern froman image including at least the information display body for displayinginformation on the component, the product, or the product including thecomponent as its component and the textured pattern formed on thecomponent or the products. The acquisition unit 6412 acquiresinformation on the component or the products from the extracted image ofthe information display body. The identification unit 6413 identifiesthe component, the product, or the product including the component asits component by matching (collating) image feature of the extractedimage of the textured pattern with image feature stored in the imagefeature storage unit 6410.

In the following description, a case of identifying a bag isexemplified. The bag to be identified includes a logo as the informationdisplay body and a logo plate having a prescribed area with the logo,the prescribed area being provided with a textured pattern.

The extraction unit 6411 acquires an image of a collation area (matchingarea) including the logo of the logo plate, the logo plate beingattached to the bag, and extracts an image of the logo and an image ofthe textured pattern from the acquired image. Here, the collation areais the prescribed area including the logo and at least partiallyincludes the textured pattern formed thereon. As described in the aboveembodiment, there are mainly two methods for processing the texturedpattern formed on the collation area.

Next, capturing of an image of a textured pattern of a collation area,extraction of image feature of a textured pattern of a collation area,and registration thereof in the image feature storage unit 6410 isstored in the image feature storage unit 6410 by using same operation asthe image feature extracting unit 404. The image of the collation areais captured by the methods described in the fourth and fifthembodiments.

The extraction unit 6411 extracts image feature of a logo and an imageof a textured pattern from an image of a collation area. In thisextraction processing, firstly, the textured pattern is deleted from theimage by using a filter for removing a high frequency component tothereby acquire an image of the logo. Then, a difference between theimage and the obtained image of the logo is calculated to obtain animage of the textured pattern.

The information acquisition unit 6412 acquires information on a logoplate and a bag with the logo plate by using the image of the logoextracted by the extraction unit 6411. For example, the extracted imageof the logo may be matched with images stored in an image database inwhich images of logos are registered as trademarks. Accordingly, itbecomes possible to known whether or not the extracted image of the logois registered as a trademark.

The identification unit 6413 extracts image feature from the image ofthe textured pattern extracted by the extraction unit 6411. Whenextracting the image feature of the textured pattern, at least a portionof the logo is used as a reference section to normalize the image of thetextured pattern, and subsequently the image feature thereof areextracted.

Then, the extracted image feature are matched with image feature oftextured patterns registered in the image feature storage unit 6410 tothereby identify the logo plate. Identification of the logo plateenables identification of the bag on the basis of the managementinformation associated with the image feature of the logo plate.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an image of theinformation display body attached to a component or a product and animage of the textured pattern can be read out at the same time, andtherefore, acquisition of information on the component or the product(information common to products to which the same information displaybody is attached) and each individual identification of the component orthe product having the same information display body can be performedefficiently. Further, it is easy to find the information display body inthe form of a logo, etc. attached to a component or a product, so that aperson in charge of an identification operation can easily specify alocation of which image should be captured.

Embodiment 8-2

An embodiment 8-2 of the present invention will be described below.

In the embodiment 8-2, the information display body is a serial number.The embodiment 8-2 is directed to an identification system foridentifying a bag having a plate, as its component, including a texturedpattern formed on a collation area with a serial number as theinformation display body.

FIG. 63 is a block diagram of an identification system according to theembodiment 8-2.

An imaging unit 6541 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofmanufacturing a bag (a manufacturer of a bag, etc.) or a tool to be usedby a side of an administrator who performs quality control of a bag. Themanufacturer, etc., uses the imaging unit 6541 to capture an image of acollation area of a plate attached to a bag. Meanwhile, the imaging unit6541 captures an image under the above described predetermined imagecapturing conditions.

An extraction unit 6542 extracts an image of a serial number and animage of a textured pattern from the image captured by the imaging unit6541. Extraction of each of the image of serial number and the image oftextured pattern is performed in a manner similar to the case of theembodiment 8-1.

An information acquisition and registration unit 6543 performs lettersrecognition processing with respect to the image of the serial numberextracted by the extraction unit 6542. Further, the informationacquisition and registration unit 6543 extracts image feature of theimage of the textured surface extracted by the extraction unit 6542. Theserial number after it is subjected to the letters recognitionprocessing is registered in the image feature database 6544 inassociated with the image feature of the textured surface. The imagefeature database 6544 is also a tool for the use of a side of amanufacturer of a bag or a side of an administrator who performs qualitycontrol of a bag. As shown in FIG. 64, a serial number, image feature ofa textured pattern in a collation area of a plate on which a serialnumber is printed, and management information on a bag provided with theplate attached thereto are stored in associated with each other.Meanwhile, the management information includes not only identificationinformation on a component, a product, or a product including thecomponent attached thereto, but also management information on acomponent or a product, e.g., a production site of a component or aproduct, production information such as a brand and a production date,and a product name in which the component is employed, and distributioninformation such as destination and ship date.

As described above, if the image feature of the textured pattern of thecomponent being associated with the management information on thecomponent, the product, or the product provided with the component, itbecomes possible to perform acquisition of history information on theidentified plate (component) and identification of a bag with the plate(product having the component as one of its components). The method ofregistering to the image feature database 6544 by the quality managementside is performed by the method described in the above embodiments 5 to6. According to such a registration method, the process beginning fromtextured finish for identification down to registration of an imagefeature may be automatically performed.

An imaging unit 6545, an extraction unit 6546, and an informationacquisition unit 6547 are tools to be used by a side in charge ofcollating a bag such as a testing department, a destination, a shop, anda purchaser of the bag.

The imaging unit 6545 has a structure similar to that of the imagingunit 6541. More specifically, the imaging unit 45 captures an image of acollation area of a plate of a bag to be identified.

The extraction unit 6546 has a structure similar to that of theextraction unit 6542. More specifically, the extraction unit 6546extracts an image of the serial number and an image of the texturedpattern from the image captured by the imaging unit 6545.

The information acquisition unit 6547 acquires information on the plateor the bag from the image of the serial number extracted by theextraction unit 6546. In the present embodiment, the letters recognitionprocessing by, for example, a pattern matching is performed with respectto the image of the serial number extracted by the extraction unit 6546.Thereby, a letter recognition result is obtained. Further, theinformation acquisition unit 6547 extracts image feature from the imageof the textured pattern extracted by the extraction unit 6546. Stillfurther, the information acquisition unit 6547 sends the serial numberand the image feature extracted from the textured image surface to anidentification unit 6549 of the side of the administrator. Then, theinformation acquisition unit 6547 receives and outputs a matching resultthereof.

The identification unit 6549 collates the serial number received fromthe side of the collator with textured patterns. Then, theidentification unit 6549 sends a collating result thereof. Morespecifically, the received serial number is collated with serial numbersregistered in the image feature database 6544. If there is a matchingnumber, image feature of the textured pattern associated with the serialnumber is matched with the received image feature. Then, theidentification unit 6549 returns a matching result thereof. In a casewhere thus collated serial number and the image feature of the texturedpattern have been associated with each other to be registered in theimage feature database 6544, the plate of the bag to be collated isdetermined as a genuine plate registered in the image feature database6544. From the management information associated with the image featureof the textured surface, the bag with the plate can be identified.

Meanwhile, the above mentioned imaging unit, image feature extractionunit, image feature database, extraction unit, information acquisitionunit, and identification unit may be independent from each other but areto be connected to each other via network. Alternatively, some of themmay be formed into one piece.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an image ofinformation display body attached to a component or a product and animage of a textured pattern are read out at the same time, and thereforeacquisition of information on the component or the product andidentification of the component or the product can be performedefficiently. Further, in the second embodiment, it is possible to storeinformation display body as identification information of a component ora product and image feature of a textured pattern formed on thecomponent or the product in a manner they are corresponded to each otherand, under such conditions, to match the image feature of the texturedpattern stored after it is associated with the identificationinformation of the information display body acquired from the capturedimage with the textured pattern acquired from the captured image. Thisenables certification and identification of the component or theproduct.

Embodiment 8-3

An embodiment 8-3 according to the present invention will be describedbelow. FIG. 65 is a block diagram of an identification system accordingto the third embodiment.

In the embodiment 8-4, the information display body is a URL. The thirdembodiment is directed to an identification system for identifying a bagwith a plate as its component. The plate has a collation area includinga URL and formed with a textured pattern in its collation area.Meanwhile, in this example, the URL printed on the plate attached to thebag indicates an address of a bag identification site.

An imaging unit 6751 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofmanufacturing a bag (a manufacturer, etc., of a bag) and a side of anadministrator who performs quality control of a bag. The manufacturer,etc., uses the imaging unit 6751 to capture an image of a collation areaof a plate attached to a bag. The imaging unit 6751 has a structuresimilar to that of the imaging unit 6741 of the embodiment 8-2.

An extraction unit 6752 extracts an image of the URL and an image of thetextured pattern from the image captured by the imaging unit 6751.Extraction processing for extracting each of the image of the URL andthe image of the textured pattern is similar to that of the firstembodiment.

A registration unit 6753 extracts image feature of the image of thetextured pattern extracted by the extraction unit 6752 and registers itin the image feature database 6754. The image feature database 6754 is atool to be used by a side of a manufacturer of a bag and a side of anadministrator who performs quality control of a bag. The image featuredatabase 6754 stores image feature of a textured pattern in a collationarea of a plate on which a URL is printed and management information ofa bag with a plate in associated with each other. Meanwhile, themanagement information includes not only identification information on acomponent, a product, or a product including the component attachedthereto, but also management information on a component or a product,e.g., a production site of the component or the product, productioninformation such as a brand and a production date, and a product name inwhich the component is employed, and distribution information such asdestination and ship date. Association between the image feature of thetextured pattern of the component and the management information on thecomponent, the product, or the product to which the component isattached, as described above, enables acquisition of history informationon the identified plate (component) and identification of the bag withthe plate (product having the component as one of its components).

A matching device 6759 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofcollation and identification of a bag, e.g., an inspection department, adestination, a shop, a purchaser, etc. of the bag. The matching device6759 includes an imaging unit 6755, an extraction unit 6756, and aninformation acquisition unit 6757.

The imaging unit 6755 has a structure similar to that of the imagingunit 6751. The imaging unit 6755 captures an image of a collation areaof a plate attached to a bag to be identified.

The extraction unit 6756 has a structure similar to that of theextraction unit 6752. The extraction unit 6756 extracts an image of aURL and an image of a textured pattern from the image captured by theimaging unit 6755.

An information acquisition unit 6757 performs letters recognitionprocessing by, for example, pattern matching with respect to the imageof the URL extracted by the extraction unit 6756 and obtains a lettersrecognition result. Further, the information acquisition unit 6757extracts image feature from the image of the textured pattern extractedby the extraction unit 6756. Then, the information acquisition unit 6757accesses a site of the URL indicated by the letters recognition resultvia internet, transmits data of the image feature extracted from theimage of the textured surface, and requests for identification of thebag. Subsequently, the information acquisition unit 6757 receives andoutputs a matching result in response to the request.

An identification server 6760 is a Web server which provides a bagidentification service on the internet. The identification server 6760is connected to the image feature database 6754. When the identificationserver 6760 receives data of the image feature of the textured patterntogether with a request for identification, the identification server6760 matches the received image feature of the image of the texturedpattern with image feature of images of textured patterns registered inthe image feature database 6754 and returns a matching result thereof tothe request source. More specifically, in a case where the receivedimage feature of the textured pattern match any one of the registeredimage feature, the identification server 6760 determines that the plateincluding the textured pattern formed thereon, i.e., the plate of therequest source, is a genuine plate registered in the image featuredatabase 6754. Then, the identification server 6760 transmits themanagement information associated with the image feature of the texturedpattern to the request source. This enables the request source toidentify the bag with the plate.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possibleto read an image of information display body attached to a component ora product and an image of a textured pattern at the same time. Thisensures effective acquisition of information on a component or a productand identification of a component or a product. Further, in theembodiment 8-3, the information display body is an URL indicating anidentification site for identifying a component or a product by usingtextured patterns. Transmission of the image feature of the texturedpattern obtained from the captured image to the URL obtained from theinformation display body of the captured image enables certification andidentification of a component or a product.

Embodiment 8-4

An embodiment 8-4 of the present invention will be described below. Theembodiment 8-5 is almost identical to the above described first to thirdembodiments, except that, when a component or a product is subjected toidentification, image feature of a textured pattern to be identified andan identification result thereof are stored in associated with eachother.

FIG. 66 is a block diagram of the fourth embodiment. An identificationsystem of the present embodiment includes, in addition to the abovedescribed structure of the embodiment 8-2, an identification informationregistration unit 6861 and an identification information database 6862.The identification information registration unit 6861 receives the imagefeature of the textured pattern which was matched with the image featuredatabase 6844 and information on a matching result thereof from theidentification unit 6849, and registers them in association with eachother in the identification information database 6862. Alternatively, ina case where the image feature to be identified are registered in theimage feature database 6844, the identification information registrationunit 6861 may read out product information, management information, etc.which have been registered in associated with the image feature to beidentified in the image feature database 6844 and register them in theimage feature database 6862 in associated with the image feature of thetextured pattern.

Further, the embodiment 8-4 may be provided with a statisticalprocessing unit which performs, by using the identification informationdatabase 6862 which accumulatively stores the image feature of thusidentified textured pattern, the matching result information, etc.,statistical processing of information on a predetermined component orproduct and outputs states of distribution and sale of the product andthe use of the product. Still further, the fourth embodiment may beprovided with an analyzer capable of statistically processinginformation of cases in which matching was failed and analyzing a stateof occurrence of counterfeits in a case where matching results orcertification results of genuineness/spuriousness and matched locationsof products are stored as matching result information.

The present invention 9 is characterized by extracting an image of ann-dimensional (n: natural number) symbol and an image of a texturedpattern formed on at least a portion of the n-dimensional symbol from animage of the n-dimensional symbol which is attached to a component or aproduct, acquiring information on the component or the product from theextracted image of the n-dimensional symbol, and identifying thecomponent or the product by using the extracted image of the texturedpattern.

The invention according to the present application will be describedbelow. The textured pattern formed on the component, the product, thecomponent or the product are the same as in the above embodiment.Therefore, the detailed description will be omitted.

The n-dimensional symbol includes a one-dimensional symbol and atwo-dimensional symbol, etc. An example of the one-dimensional symbolincludes a bar code. Examples of the two-dimensional symbol include aPDF 417, a Data Matrix, a Maxi Code, and a QR (Quick Response) code(registered trademarks).

Here, the textured pattern may be formed throughout the n-dimensionalsymbol and its background or partially thereon, may be formed on thebackground excepting the n-dimensional symbol, may be formed on then-dimensional symbol partially or in its entirety, or may be formed on aportion where a textured pattern of which image is to be captured isspecified by the n-dimensional symbol. Meanwhile, the textured patternshould not be formed on a blank portion which is essential for readingout the n-dimensional symbol. For example, the textured pattern shouldnot be formed on a quiet zone in a case of a bar code or on squareshaped cut-out symbols provided at three corners (position detectionpatterns or finder patterns) in a case of a QR code.

A size of a particle of a textured pattern or a degree of granularity(e.g., a size, a diameter, a density, etc. of a particle) of eachirregular section of a textured pattern or an aggregate made of adjacentirregular sections of a textured pattern may be at any level in so faras recognition of an n-dimensional symbol is not affected. This can beachieved by setting the granularity when a satin finished surface isformed. For example, granularity of the textured pattern is set to adegree smaller than a short side (edge width) of a cell of then-dimensional symbol. More preferably, granularity of the texturedpattern is set to a degree, as illustrated in FIG. 67 or FIG. 68, equalto or smaller than a half of the edge width in a manner that thecaptured image can be recognized as an n-dimensional symbol.Hereinafter, a bar code as a one-dimensional symbol and a QR code as atwo-dimensional symbol will be exemplified for more detaileddescription.

As will be described below, when assuming that a filter for removing ahigh frequency component corresponding to granularity of a satinfinished surface is employed to remove a textured pattern, asillustrated in FIG. 67, if granularity of a satin finished surface islarger than a half of an edge width of a rectangular bar as a cell of abar code, the bar is partially removed when removing the satin finishedsurface, resulting in making the bar defective. A typical bar code canbe read out even if the bar code includes even a portion capable ofcrossing through all the bars. However, a portion crossing through allthe bars may possibly disappear according to a position of the texturedpattern. To solve the above problem, if the granularity of at least thesatin finished surface is made to a degree smaller than the edge widthof the bar, chipping of edge can be avoided to eliminate possibledisappearance of the portion which crosses through all the bars.

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 68, in a case of a QR code, ifgranularity of the satin finished surface is set to a degree smallerthan a half of an edge width of each cell of the QR code, it becomespossible to prevent the QR code from being defective because of apartial removal of the cell. This ensures to prevent the QR code from apossible unreadable situation. Further, the QR code may be subjected toa blast working in order to generate a low density by using dots smallerthan those of cells of the n-dimensional symbol. Meanwhile, it ispossible for the n-dimensional symbol to correct the defective portionby means of a correction function of the n-dimensional symbol forrepairing missing portion. Therefore, when processing a texturedpattern, granularity of the textured pattern may be adjusted in thelight of the correction function.

As in the above embodiment 8, in extraction processing of extracting animage of the n-dimensional symbol and an image of the textured patternfrom the captured image, the image of the n-dimensional symbol isobtained by removing the textured pattern from the captured image byusing a frequency filter for removing a high frequency componentcorresponding to the granularity of a satin finished surface. The satinfinished surface was deleted. Then, an image of the textured pattern isobtained by taking a difference between an original image and thecaptured image (image of the n-dimensional symbol) from which the highfrequency component was removed. Further, the n-dimensional symbol isexpressed in binary such as black and white. Therefore, it is possibleto obtain the image of the n-dimensional symbol by removing the texturedpattern by means of adjustment of a threshold of resolution in theextraction processing of extracting the image of the n-dimensionalsymbol and the image of the textured pattern from the captured image.

Embodiment 9-1

An embodiment 9-1 according to the present invention will be describedbelow. FIG. 69 is a block diagram of the embodiment 9-1 according to thepresent invention.

The identification system of the embodiment 9-1 according to the presentinvention includes an image characteristics storage unit 7110, anextraction unit 7111, an acquisition unit 7112, and an identificationunit 7113.

The image characteristics storage unit 7110 stores image characteristicsof textured patterns formed on n-dimensional symbols, each n-dimensionalsymbol being attached to a component, a product, or a product includingthe component as its elements.

The extraction unit 7111 extracts an image of the n-dimensional symboland an image of the textured pattern from an image of the n-dimensionalsymbol.

The acquisition unit 7112 acquires information on the component or theproducts from the extracted image of the n-dimensional symbol.

The identification unit 7113 identifies the component, the product, orthe product including the component as its component by matching theextracted image of the textured pattern with image characteristicsstored in the image characteristics storage unit 7110.

In the below description, a QR code as a two-dimensional symbol is then-dimensional symbol, a PC case is the component, and a PC terminal isthe product. The PC terminal including the PC case as its element isexemplified as a product to be identified, the PC case being providedwith the QR code on which a textured pattern is formed.

The extraction unit 7111 obtains an image of the QR code of the PC caseto extract an image of the QR code and an image of the textured patternfrom the captured image. According to above mentioned embodiment, thereare mainly two methods for providing the textured pattern on the QRcode.

Next, image capturing of the textured pattern of the QR code, extractionof image characteristics of the textured p pattern of the QR code, andregistration thereof in the image characteristics storage unit 7110 willbe described. In the present embodiment, the image characteristics ofthe textured pattern formed on the QR code will be preliminary extractedto be stored in the image characteristics storage unit 7110. Inprocessing to provide a satin finished surface by a die, several numberof PC cases which were provided with satin finished surfaces by the dieare selected, and images of QR codes of the PC cases are captured by aphotograph device. In processing for providing a satin finished surface,an image of a QR code of each of the PC cases is captured by aphotograph device. Image characteristics are extracted from the capturedimages of the textured patterns and are registered in the magecharacteristics storage unit 7110. Meanwhile, it is possible to extractthe image characteristics from the captured image by means of anextraction technology for extracting image characteristics of a fingerprint. More specifically, a luminance value and a feature point of animage, an inflection point of a line of a binarized image, an interunitpoint, an inter-edge point, and a central point of an image areextracted by the extraction technology.

Further, when registering image characteristics of a PC case in theimage characteristics storage unit 7110, management information on a PCterminal including the PC case as one of its components is alsoregistered therein after it is associated with the image characteristicsof textured pattern. Accordingly, identification of the PC case enablesidentification of the PC terminal.

Here, in some cases, image characteristics of textured patterns differfrom one another between the same components or between the sameproducts according to lighting conditions when capturing images thereof.Therefore, the collation areas is supposed to be captured using themethod described in Embodiments 4 and 5.

The extraction unit 7111 performs image processing of extracting imagecharacteristics of a QR code and image characteristics of a texturedpattern from an image of a QR code. The image processing is performed inthe same method of the above embodiments.

The information acquisition unit 7112 acquires information on a PC caseand a PC terminal having the PC case as its component by using the imageof the QR code extracted by the extraction unit 7111.

The identification unit 7113 extracts image characteristics from theimage of the textured pattern extracted by the extraction unit 7111.Normally, the QR code is provided with position detection patterns atthree corners thereof. It is preferable to extract the imagecharacteristics after normalizing the image of the textured pattern byusing the position detection patterns as reference sections. Thisenables normalization of at least one of an orientation and a size ofthe image of the satin finished surface and a portion to be identifiedwithin the extracted image of the textured pattern. The normalization inthe present embodiment includes normalization of geometricaltransformations including at least one of a size, a position, and anorientation of a captured image and a portion to be identified within atextured pattern, etc., normalization of a luminance value of a capturedimage, etc. Further, in a case of a bar code, at least one of marginsprovided at both sides of the bar code, a left guard bar, a center bar,and a right guard bar of the bar code is set to be a reference section.Extraction of characteristics from the image of the textured patternthus normalized may be performed by means of extraction technology forextracting image characteristics of a finger print. More specifically, aluminance value and a feature point of an image, an inflection point ofa line of a binarized image, an interunit point, an inter-edge point,and a central point of an image are extracted by the extractiontechnology. Then, collation of the extracted image characteristics withimage characteristics of textured patterns registered in the imagecharacteristics storage unit 7110 ensures identification of a PC case.Identification of a PC case enables identification of a PC terminalbased on management information corresponded to image characteristics ofthe PC case.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an image of then-dimensional symbol attached to a component or a product and an imageof the textured pattern can be read out at the same time, and therefore,acquisition of information on the component or the product (informationcommon to products to which the same n-dimensional symbol is attached)and each individual identification of the component or the producthaving the same n-dimensional symbol can be performed efficiently.Further, it is easy to find the n-dimensional symbol, so that a personin charge of an identification operation can easily specify a locationof capturing an image of the textured pattern and an orientation and asize of thus captured image of a satin finished surface when the personidentifies the component or the product.

Embodiment 9-2

The present embodiment will be described exemplifying a case where theQR code. FIG. 70 is a block diagram of an identification systemaccording to the present embodiment.

An imaging unit 7241 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofmanufacturing a PC terminal (manufacture, etc. of a PC terminal) or atool to be used by a side of an administrator who performs qualitycontrol of a PC terminal. The manufacturer, etc., uses the imaging unit7241 to capture an image of a QR code of a PC case attached to a PCterminal. Meanwhile, the imaging unit 7241 captures an image under theabove described predetermined image capturing conditions.

An extraction unit 7242 extracts an image of the QR code and an image ofa textured pattern from the image captured by the imaging unit 7241.Extraction of the image of the QR code and the image of the texturedpattern is performed in a manner similar to the case of the firstembodiment.

An information acquisition and registration unit 7243 replaces a blackand white grid-shaped pattern with a 0 and 1 signal string according tothe standard of QR code and further replaces the 0 and 1 signal stringwith a number or a letter corresponding to an arrangement of the 0 and 1in the image of the QR code extracted by the extraction unit 7242,thereby obtaining a serial number. The information acquisition andregistration unit 43 obtains image characteristics of the textured imageextracted by the extraction unit 7242. Then, the information acquisitionand registration unit 7243 registers the serial number as an extractionresult and the image characteristics of the satin finished surface inthe image characteristics database 7244 after they are associated witheach other. The image characteristics database 7244 is also a tool to beused by the side of the manufacturer of a PC terminal or the side of theadministrator who performs quality control of a PC terminal. As shown inFIG. 64, the image characteristics database 7244 stores serial numbers,image characteristics of textured patterns in collation areas of PCcases, each collation area being provided with a serial number printedthereon, and management information on PC terminals, each PC terminalincluding PC cases as its component, after they are correspondinglyassociated with each other. Meanwhile, the management information is aconcept including not only identification information of a component, aproduct, or a product including the component attached thereto but alsoproduction information such as a production site, a brand, and aproduction date of a component or a product and management informationof a component or a product such as distribution information, etc.,e.g., a product name, a destination, a ship date, etc. of a productusing the component.

As described above, if the image characteristics of the textured patternof the component being associated with the management information on thecomponent, the product, or the product including the component attachedthereto, it becomes possible to perform acquisition of historyinformation on the identified PC case (component) and identification ofa PC terminal including the PC case as its element (product includingthe component attached thereto).

An imaging unit 7245, an extraction unit 7246, and an informationacquisition unit 7247 are tools to be used by a side in charge ofmatching a PC terminal such as a testing department, a destination, ashop, and a purchaser of the PC terminal.

The imaging unit 7245 has a structure similar to that of the imagingunit 7241. More specifically, the imaging unit 7245 captures an image ofa QR code of a PC case of a PC terminal to be identified.

The extraction unit 7246 has a structure similar to that of theextraction unit 7242. More specifically, the extraction unit 7246extracts an image of the QR code and an image of a textured pattern fromthe image captured by the imaging unit 7245.

The information acquisition unit 7247 acquires information on the PCcase and the PC terminal from the image of the QR code extracted by theextraction unit 7246. In the present example, the informationacquisition unit 7247 replaces a black and white grid-shaped patternwith a 0 and 1 signal string according to the standard of QR code andfurther replaces the 0 and 1 signal string with a number or a lettercorresponding to an arrangement of the 0 and 1 in the image of the QRcode extracted by the extraction unit 7246, thereby acquiring a serialnumber. Further, the information acquisition unit 7247 acquires imagecharacteristics from the image of the textured pattern extracted by theextraction unit 7246. Then, the information acquisition unit 7247 sendsthe serial number and the image characteristics extracted from thetextured image to an identification unit 7249 on the side of anadministrator. The information acquisition unit 7247 subsequentlyreceives a check result thereof to output it.

The identification unit 7249 collates the serial number received fromthe side of the collator with textured patterns. Then, theidentification unit 7249 sends a check result thereof. Morespecifically, the identification unit 7249 collates the received serialnumber with serial numbers registered in the image characteristicsdatabase 7244. If there is a matching number, image characteristics ofthe textured pattern associated with the serial number is collated withthe received image characteristics. Then, the identification unit 7249returns a check result thereof. In a case where thus collated serialnumber and the image characteristics of the textured pattern have beenassociated with each other to be registered in the image characteristicsdatabase 7244, the PC case of the PC terminal to be collated isdetermined as a genuine PC case registered in the image characteristicsdatabase 7244. Based on the management information associated with theimage characteristics of the satin finished surface, the PC terminalhaving the PC case as its component can be identified.

Meanwhile, the above mentioned imaging unit, image characteristicsextraction unit, image characteristics database, extraction unit,information acquisition unit, and identification unit may be independentfrom each other but are to be connected to each other via network.Alternatively, some of them may be formed into one piece.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an image of ann-dimensional symbol attached to a part or a product and an image of atextured pattern are read out at the same time, and thereforeacquisition of information on the part or the product and identificationof the part or the product can be performed efficiently. Further, in theembodiment 9-2, it is possible to store a QR code as identificationinformation of a part or a product and image characteristics of atextured pattern formed on a part or a product in a manner they arecorresponded to each other and, under such conditions, to collate theimage characteristics of the textured pattern stored after it isassociated with the identification information of the QR code acquiredfrom the captured image with the textured pattern acquired from thecaptured image. This enables certification and identification of thepart or the product.

Embodiment 9-3

An embodiment 9-3 according to the present invention will be describedbelow. FIG. 71 is a block diagram of an identification system accordingto the embodiment 9-3.

In the embodiment 9-3, information indicated by the QR code is an URL(Uniform Resource Locator). The URL indicates an address of anidentification site of a PC terminal.

An imaging unit 7351 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofmanufacturing of a PC terminal (manufacturer, etc. of a PC terminal) ora side in charge of performing quality control of a PC terminal. Amanufacturer, etc. uses the imaging unit 7351 to capture an image of aQR code of a PC case as one of elements of a PC terminal. The imagingunit 7351 has a structure similar to that of the imaging unit 7241 ofthe embodiment 9-2.

An extraction unit 7352 extracts an image of the QR code and an image ofa textured pattern from the image captured by the imaging unit 51.Extraction processing for extracting the image of the QR code and theimage of the textured pattern is similar to that of the embodiment 9-1.

A registration unit 7353 extracts image characteristics of the texturedimage extracted by the extraction unit 7352 to register it in an imagecharacteristics database 7354. The image characteristics database 7354is a tool to be used by a side of a manufacturer of a PC terminal and aside of an administrator who performs quality control of a PC terminal.The image characteristics database 7354 stores image characteristics oftextured patterns of QR codes and management information of PCterminals, each PC terminal having a PC case as its component providedwith a QR code printed thereon, after they are correspondinglyassociated with each other. Meanwhile, the management information is aconcept including not only identification information of a component, aproduct, or a product including the component attached thereto but alsoproduction information such as a production site, a brand, and aproduction date of a component or a product and management informationof a component or a product such as distribution information, etc.,e.g., a product name, a destination, a ship date, etc. of a productusing the component. Association between the image characteristics ofthe textured pattern of the component and the management information onthe component, the product, or the product to which the component isattached, as described above, enables acquisition of history informationon identified PC case (part) and identification of a PC terminalincluding the PC case as its element (product provided with thecomponent attached thereto).

A matching device 7359 is a tool to be used by a side in charge ofcollation and identification of a PC terminal, e.g., an inspectiondepartment, a destination, a shop, a purchaser, etc. of the PC terminal.The matching device 7359 includes an imaging unit 7355, an extractionunit 7356, and an information acquisition unit 7357.

The imaging unit 7355 has a structure similar to that of the imagingunit 7351. The imaging unit 7355 captures an image of a QR code of a PCcase as one of elements of a PC terminal to be identified.

The extraction unit 7356 has a structure similar to that of theextraction unit 7352. The extraction unit 7356 extracts an image of theQR code and a textured image from the image captured by the imaging unit7355.

The information acquisition unit 7357 replaces a black and whitegrid-shaped pattern with a 0 and 1 signal string according to thestandard of QR code and further replaces the 0 and 1 signal string witha number or a letter corresponding to an arrangement of the 0 and 1 inthe image of the QR code extracted by the extraction unit 7356.Accordingly, the information acquisition unit 7357 obtains an URL.Subsequently, the information acquisition unit 7357 extracts imagecharacteristics from the image of the textured pattern extracted by theextraction unit 7356. Then, the information acquisition unit 7357accesses a site of the acquired URL via internet to transmit data of theimage characteristics extracted from the image of the satin finishedsurface in order to request identification of the PC terminal. Theinformation acquisition unit 7357 receives a check result thereof inresponse to the request, followed by outputting it.

An identification server 7360 is a Web server which provides a PCterminal identification service on the internet. The identificationserver 7360 is connected to the image characteristics database 7354.When the identification server 7360 receives data of the imagecharacteristics of the textured pattern together with the request foridentification, the identification server 7360 collates the receivedimage characteristics of the textured pattern with image characteristicsof images of the textured pattern registered in the imagecharacteristics database 7354 to return a check result thereof to therequest source. More specifically, in a case where the received imagecharacteristics of the textured pattern match any one of the registeredimage characteristics, the identification server 7360 determines thatthe PC case including the textured pattern formed thereon, i.e., the PCcase of the request source, is a genuine PC case registered in the imagecharacteristics database 7354. Then, the identification server 7360transmits the management information associated with the imagecharacteristics of the textured pattern to the request source. Thisenables the request source to identify a PC terminal having the PC caseas its element.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possibleto read an image of a QR code attached to a component or a product andan image of a textured pattern at the same time. This ensures effectiveacquisition of information on a component or a product andidentification of a component or a product. Further, in the embodiment9-3, the QR code is an URL indicating an identification site foridentifying a component or a product by using textured patterns.Transmission of the image characteristics of the textured patternobtained from the captured image to the URL obtained from the image ofthe QR code of the captured image enables certification andidentification of a component or a product.

Embodiment 9-4

An embodiment 9-4 of the present invention will be described below. Theembodiment 9-4 is almost identical to the above described embodiments9-1 to 9-3, except that, after a component or a product is subjected toidentification, image characteristics of a textured pattern to beidentified are associated with an identification result thereof to bestored together.

FIG. 72 is a block diagram of the presented embodiment. Anidentification system of the present embodiment includes, in addition tothe above described structure of the embodiment 9-1 to 9-3, anidentification information registration unit 7461 and an identificationinformation database 7462. The identification information registrationunit 7461 receives image characteristics of a textured pattern afterbeing checked against the image characteristics database 7444 andinformation on a check result thereof from the identification unit 7449,associates them with each other, and registers the associatedinformation in the identification information database 7462.Alternatively, the identification information registration unit 7461 mayread out product information, management information, etc. which havebeen registered in the image characteristics database 7444 after theyare associated with each other and register them in the identificationinformation database 7462 after they are associated with the imagecharacteristics of the textured pattern in a case where the imagecharacteristics to be identified are registered in the imagecharacteristics database 7444.

Further, the presented embodiment may be provided with a statisticalprocessing unit which performs, by using the identification informationdatabase 7462 which accumulatively stores the image characteristics ofthus identified textured pattern, the check result information, etc.,statistical processing of information on a predetermined component orproduct to output states of distribution and sale of the product and theuse of the product. Still further, the presented embodiment may beprovided with an analyzer capable of statistically processinginformation of cases in which collation was failed and analyzing a stateof occurrence of counterfeits in a case where check results orcertification results of genuineness/spuriousness and checked locationsof the products are stored as check result information.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way of theexamples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be notedhere that various changes and modifications will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modificationsotherwise depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention,they should be construed as being included therein. It will beunderstood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various change bycombining each embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the claims.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No.2014-177408, filed Sep. 1, 2014, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

(Supplementary Note 1)

An authenticity determining method of,

based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part, validityof which is confirmed and to which surface treatment is applied, andwhich is mounted on a body of a product that is an authenticity target,and said body is right or wrong, reaching a determination aboutauthenticity of said product.

(Supplementary Note 2)

The authenticity determining method according to supplementary note 1,wherein

an image feature of a regular part, and registered trademark informationabout a registered trademark applied to said regular part are associatedand stored in a storage section, and

validity of the part mounted on the body of said product that is anauthenticity target is confirmed by checking an image feature on asurface of said part that is an authenticity target, and a trademarkapplied to said part that is an authenticity target against the imagefeature of the regular part, and said registered trademark informationstored in said storage section.

(Supplementary Note 3)

The authenticity determining method according to supplementary note 1 or2, wherein

a result of said determination and information about a position at whichsaid determination was reached are associated and stored.

(Supplementary Note 4)

An authenticity determining apparatus configured to,

based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part, validityof which is confirmed and to which surface treatment is applied, andwhich is mounted on a body of a product that is an authenticity target,and said body is right or wrong, reach a determination aboutauthenticity of said product.

(Supplementary Note 5)

The authenticity determining apparatus according to supplementary note4, comprising:

a storage section in which an image feature of a regular part, andregistered trademark information about a registered trademark applied tosaid regular part are associated with each other and stored, and

wherein validity of the part mounted on the body of said product that isan authenticity target is confirmed by checking an image feature on asurface of said part that is an authenticity target, and a trademarkapplied to said part that is an authenticity target against the imagefeature of the regular part, and said registered trademark informationstored in said storage section.

(Supplementary Note 6)

The authenticity determining apparatus according to supplementary note 4or 5, wherein

a result of said determination and information about a position at whichsaid determination was reached are associated and stored.

(Supplementary Note 7)

An authenticity determining system configured to,

based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part, validityof which is confirmed and to which surface treatment is applied, andwhich is mounted on a body of a product that is an authenticity target,and said body is right or wrong, reach a determination aboutauthenticity of said product.

(Supplementary Note 8)

The authenticity determining system according to supplementary note 7,comprising:

a storage section in which an image feature of a regular part, andregistered trademark information about a registered trademark applied tosaid regular part are associated with each other and stored, and

wherein validity of the part mounted on the body of said product that isan authenticity target is confirmed by checking an image feature on asurface of said part that is an authenticity target, and a trademarkapplied to said part that is an authenticity target against the imagefeature of the regular part, and said registered trademark informationstored in said storage section.

(Supplementary Note 9)

The authenticity determining system according to supplementary note 7 or8, wherein

a result of said determination and information about a position at whichsaid determination was reached are associated and stored.

(Supplementary Note 10)

A program for an authenticity determining apparatus, said programcausing said authenticity determining apparatus to execute:

-   -   based on whether a correspondence relationship between a part,        validity of which is confirmed and to which surface treatment is        applied, and which is mounted on a body of a product that is an        authenticity target, and said body is right or wrong, processing        for reaching a determination about authenticity of said product.

(Supplementary Note 11)

A collation/retrieval system including,

a first imaging means capturing, while a predetermined section formedinto the same pattern for every product is set to a reference section,an image of a product including at least the reference section,

a product feature extraction means detecting from the image captured bythe first imaging means the reference section of the product, setting arecessed portion existing at a standard position relative to thedetected reference section of the product to a collation area, andthereby extracting an image feature in the collation area of theproduct,

a storage means storing the extracted image feature of the collationarea of the product,

a second imaging means capturing an image including at least thereference section of a product to be collated,

a to-be-collated product feature extraction means detecting from theimage captured by the second imaging means the reference section of theproduct to be collated and extracting an image feature of the collationarea of the detected reference section, and

a collation/retrieval means collating the stored image feature with theimage feature of the collation area of the product to be collated.

(Supplementary Note 12)

The collation/retrieval system according to Supplementary note 11,

wherein the reference section is at least any one of a trademark, alogotype, a name of manufacturer, a manufacturing company, a brand name,a product name, a product number, and a section marked, branded,pressed, or attached on/to the product.

(Supplementary Note 13)

The collation/retrieval system according to Supplementary note 11 or 12,

wherein the collation area is a recessed portion of the referencesection.

(Supplementary Note 14)

The collation/retrieval system according to any one of Supplementarynotes 11 to 13,

wherein the image feature is at least any one of a scratch naturallygenerated in the course of manufacturing/processing the product, minuteunevenness, and a design pattern, which are different for eachindividual, in the collation area of the product.

(Supplementary Note 15)

The collation/retrieval system according to any one of Supplementarynotes 11 to 14,

wherein the product feature extraction means and the to-be-collatedproduct feature extraction means each store in advance the feature ofthe reference section and the position of the collation area, detect thereference section of the product from the image captured based on thefeature of the reference section, and normalize the position and a sizeof the collation area from the detected reference section to extract theimage feature of the collation area.

(Supplementary Note 16)

The collation/retrieval system according to any one of Supplementarynotes 11 to 15,

wherein the storage means stores a plurality of image features ofcollation areas extracted from a plurality of products to be retrievedand management information corresponding to the plurality of products tobe retrieved in a mutually associated manner; and

wherein the collation/retrieval means retrieves an image feature havingthe highest similarity to the image feature of the collation area of theproduct to be collated from the stored plurality of image features tooutput management information of a product corresponding to the imagefeature having the highest similarity.

(Supplementary Note 17)

The collation/retrieval system according to any one of Supplementarynotes 11 to 16,

wherein the product is a leather product, a metal workpiece, a woodproduct, a molten resin, or an industrial product including a ceramicportion.

(Supplementary Note 18)

A collation/retrieval server collating a product produced by ordelivered from a producer or a distributor with a product to be collatedfor retrieval including,

a storage means storing, while a predetermined section formed into thesame pattern for every product is set to a reference section and arecessed portion existing at a standard position relative to thereference section of the product is set to a collation area, an imagefeature in the collation area of the product,

a to-be-collated product feature extraction means receiving an image ofa product to be collated, detecting from the received image thereference section of the product to be collated, and thereby extractingan image feature of the collation area of the reference section, and

a collation/retrieval means collating the stored image feature with theimage feature of the collation area of the product to be collated.

(Supplementary Note 19)

The collation/retrieval server according to Supplementary note 18,further including

a product feature extraction means receiving an image of a productproduced by or delivered from a producer or a distributor, detectingfrom the received image the reference section of the product, extractingan image feature of the collation area of the detected referencesection, and registering the extracted image feature of the collationarea in the storage means.

(Supplementary Note 20)

The collation/retrieval server according to Supplementary notes 18 or19,

wherein the reference section is at least any one of a trademark, alogotype, a name of manufacturer, a manufacturing company, a brand name,a product name, a product number, and a section marked, branded,pressed, or attached on/to the product.

(Supplementary Note 21)

The collation/retrieval server according to any one of Supplementarynotes 18 to 20,

wherein the collation area is a recessed portion of the referencesection.

(Supplementary Note 22)

The collation/retrieval server according to any one of Supplementarynotes 18 to 21,

wherein the image feature is at least any one of a scratch naturallygenerated in the course of manufacturing/processing the product, minuteunevenness, and a design pattern, which are different for eachindividual, in the collation area of the product.

(Supplementary Note 23)

The collation/retrieval server according to any one of Supplementarynotes 18 to 22,

wherein the product feature extraction means or the to-be-collatedproduct feature extraction means stores in advance the feature of thereference section and the position of the collation area, detects thereference section of the product from the image captured based on thefeature of the reference section, and normalizes the position and a sizeof the collation area from the detected reference section to therebyextract the image feature of the collation area.

(Supplementary Note 24)

The collation/retrieval server according to any one of Supplementarynotes 18 to 23,

wherein the storage means stores a plurality of image features ofcollation areas extracted from a plurality of products to be retrievedand management information corresponding to the plurality of products tobe retrieved in a mutually associated manner; and

wherein the collation/retrieval means retrieves an image feature havingthe highest similarity to the image feature of the collation area of theproduct to be collated from the stored plurality of image features tooutput management information of a product corresponding to the imagefeature having the highest similarity.

(Supplementary Note 25)

The collation/retrieval server according to any one of Supplementarynotes 18 to 22,

wherein the product is a leather product, a metal workpiece, a woodproduct, a molten resin, or an industrial product including a ceramicportion.

(Supplementary Note 26)

An image feature extraction apparatus including,

-   -   a feature extraction means receiving an image of a product to be        collated, detecting from the received image a predetermined        section defined in the product as a reference section, and        thereby extracting an image feature of a recessed portion, as a        collation area, existing at a standard position relative to the        detected reference section of the product.

(Supplementary Note 27)

A collation/retrieval method including

setting a predetermined section formed into the same pattern for everyproduct to a reference section,

setting a recessed portion existing at a standard position relative tothe reference section to a collation area, and

using an image feature in the collation area of the product forcollation/retrieval.

(Supplementary Note 28)

The collation/retrieval method according to Supplementary note 27,further including

capturing, while the predetermined section formed into the same patternfor every product is set to the reference section, an image of theproduct including at least the reference section,

detecting from the captured image the reference section of the productto extract, while the recessed portion existing at the standard positionrelative to the detected reference section is set to the collation area,an image feature in the collation area of the product,

storing the extracted image feature of the collation area of theproduct,

capturing an image including at least the reference section of a productto be collated,

detecting from the captured image to be collated the reference sectionof the product to be collated and extracting an image feature of thecollation area of the detected reference section, and

collating the stored image feature with the image feature of thecollation area of the product to be collated.

(Supplementary Note 29)

The collation/retrieval method according to Supplementary notes 27 or28,

wherein the reference section includes at least a trademark, a logotype,a name of manufacturer, a manufacturing company, a brand name, a productname, and a product number marked, branded, pressed, or attached on/tothe product.

(Supplementary Note 30)

The collation/retrieval method according to any one of Supplementarynotes 27 to 29,

wherein the collation area is the recessed portion of the referencesection.

(Supplementary Note 31)

The collation/retrieval method according to any one of Supplementarynotes 27 to 30,

wherein the image feature is at least any one of a scratch naturallygenerated in the course of manufacturing/processing the product, minuteunevenness, and a design pattern, which are different for eachindividual, in the collation area of the product.

(Supplementary Note 32)

The collation/retrieval method according to any one of Supplementarynotes 27 to 31, further including

storing in advance a feature of the reference section and the positionof the collation area,

detecting the reference section of the product from the image capturedbased on the feature of the reference section, and

normalizing the position and a size of the collation area from thedetected reference section to extract the image feature of the collationarea.

(Supplementary Note 33)

The collation/retrieval method according to any one of Supplementarynotes 27 to 32 further includes

storing a plurality of image features of collation areas extracted froma plurality of products to be retrieved and management informationcorresponding to the plurality of products to be retrieved in a mutuallyassociated manner, and

retrieving an image feature having the highest similarity to the imagefeature of the collation area of the product to be collated from thestored plurality of image features to output management information of aproduct corresponding to the image feature having the highestsimilarity.

(Supplementary Note 34)

The collation/retrieval method according to any one of Supplementarynotes 27 to 33,

wherein the product is a leather product, a metal workpiece, a moltenresin, or an industrial product including a ceramic portion.

(Supplementary Note 35)

A program causing a computer to receive an image of a product to becollated, detect from the received image a predetermined section formedinto the same pattern for every product as a reference section, andextract an image feature of a recessed portion, as a collation area,existing at a standard position relative to the reference section of theproduct.

(Supplementary Note 36)

A verification method including:

acquiring image feature of a component in a product to be verified; and

verifying the product to be verified on the basis of the acquired imagefeature of the component.

(Supplementary Note 37)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 36, whereinthe image feature of the component is stored in a storage unit inassociation with product information about the product on which thecomponent is fixed; and in the verification, the product informationabout the product to be verified and the product information stored inthe storage unit are verified.

(Supplementary Note 38)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 36 or 37,further including registering, in the verification, one or both of theproduct information about the product to be verified and theverification information in the storage unit in association with theacquired image feature.

(Supplementary Note 39)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes36 to 38, wherein the storage unit has a storage unit on a supplier sideof the component in which the image feature of the component supplied toa producer of the product from a supplier of the component is associatedwith identification information about the component, and a storage uniton a producer side of the product in which the identificationinformation about the component is associated with the productinformation; and in the verification, the identification informationabout the component is acquired from the storage unit on the supplierside of the component on the basis of the acquired image feature, andthe product information is acquired for verification from the storageunit on the producer side of the product on the basis of the acquiredidentification information about the component.

(Supplementary Note 40)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes37 to 39, wherein the product information includes at least one or moreinformation of the identification information for identifying theproducer, the identification information for identifying the productproduced by the producer, the identification information for identifyingan individual of the product, distribution course information indicatinga distribution course of the component or the product, and theverification information about the verification of the product.

(Supplementary Note 41)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes37 to 40, wherein the verification information about the verificationupon performing the verification by using the image feature isregistered in the storage unit as the product information in associationwith the acquired image feature, statistical processing of theregistered verification information is performed, and generationconditions of an imitation product are analyzed.

(Supplementary Note 42)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes37 to 41, wherein the distribution course of information about acomponent having the image feature or a product on which a componenthaving the image feature is fixed is registered in the storage unit asthe product information in association with the acquired image feature,statistical processing of the registered distribution course informationis performed, and at least one of the distribution course, sellingconditions, and usage conditions of the predetermined component or theproduct is analyzed.

(Supplementary Note 43)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 41 or 42,wherein the predetermined region is a concave portion of the component.

(Supplementary Note 44)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes36 to 43, wherein the image feature of the component is a pattern in apredetermined region generated in a process in which the component isfabricated.

(Supplementary Note 45)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 44, whereinthe pattern is a textured pattern that is provided to the component.

(Supplementary Note 46)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes361 to 45, wherein the component is at least any one of a fastener, ascrew, a nail, a nut, and an electronic component.

(Supplementary Note 47)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 46, whereinthe fastener is at least any one of a slide fastener, a hook and loopfastener, a snap fastener, a rail fastener, a buckle, a cord stopper, abelt adjuster, a loop clutch, a snap button, and a button.

(Supplementary Note 48)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes36 to 47, wherein the component is any material of leather, metal,plastics, pottery, ceramics, and resins.

(Supplementary Note 49)

A verification method including:

designating as a verification area at least a part of a predeterminedregion of an article that has a textured pattern provided thereto, andpreviously storing at least one or more image features of the texturedpattern of the verification area;

acquiring the image feature of the textured pattern that is provided tothe verification area of an article to be verified; and

verifying the article to be verified by using the acquired image featureand the stored image features.

(Supplementary Note 50)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 491, whereinthe stored image features are image features of an image obtained byimaging the textured pattern of the verification area underpredetermined lighting conditions, and the image feature of the articleto be verified are image feature obtained by imaging the texturedpattern provided to the verification area of the article to be verifiedunder the same lighting conditions as the predetermined lightingconditions.

(Supplementary Note 51)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 49 or 50,wherein the textured pattern is provided by a mold.

(Supplementary Note 52)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 51, whereinthe image feature of the textured pattern provided to the verificationarea of at least one article are previously stored from among aplurality of articles that have the textured pattern provided thereto bythe same mold in each mold.

(Supplementary Note 53)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 49 or 50,wherein the textured pattern is provided by blasting or powder painting.

(Supplementary Note 54)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 53, whereinthe image features are stored in each individual of the articles.

(Supplementary Note 55)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes51 to 54, wherein the textured pattern is provided by blasting, textureprocessing using the powder painting, or a plating process as a processin a subsequent stage on the textured pattern provided by the mold.

(Supplementary Note 56)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 55, whereina roughness of the textured pattern through the mold is made rougherthan the roughness of a pattern in a difference between individualsgenerated by a process in the subsequent stage, and thereby anidentification of the mold and the identification of the differencebetween individuals are easy to be performed independently.

(Supplementary Note 57)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes51 to 56, wherein the image features of the textured pattern in theverification area through the mold in each mold and the image featuresof the textured pattern in the verification area in each individual ofthe articles are stored, the image feature in the verification area ofthe article to be verified and the image features through the mold areverified and the mold that provides the textured pattern to the articleto be verified is specified, and the image features of an individualgroup of the article that has the textured pattern provided thereto bythe specified mold and the image feature in the verification area of thearticle to be verified are verified.

(Supplementary Note 58)

The verification method described in any one of the supplementary notes49 to 57, wherein the component is a fastener.

(Supplementary Note 59)

The verification method described in the supplementary note 58, whereinthe fastener is at least any one of a slide fastener, a hook and loopfastener, a snap fastener, a rail fastener, a buckle, a cord stopper, abelt adjuster, a loop clutch, a snap button, and a button.

(Supplementary Note 60)

A product management method comprising:

clustering a distribution information log database in which an imagefeature of a pattern formed on a surface of a component is related withat least one of product information regarding a product equipped withthe component and distribution information regarding distribution of theproduct, based on the image feature; and

analyzing, using statistical processing, one or both of the distributioninformation and product information related with the image featurebelonging to each group obtained by the clustering.

(Supplementary Note 61)

The product management method according to supplementary note 60,wherein the image feature is a pattern on a predetermined region,generated in a production process of the component.

(Supplementary Note 62)

The product management method according to supplementary note 60 or 61,wherein the pattern is a textured pattern formed on the component.

(Supplementary Note 63)

The product management method according to supplementary note 61 or 62,wherein the predetermined region is a concave portion of the component.

(Supplementary Note 64)

The product management method according to any one of supplementarynotes 60 to 63, wherein the component is a casting product made by amold.

(Supplementary Note 65)

The product management method according to supplementary note 64,wherein the fastening component is at least any one of fasteningcomponents of a slide fastener, a hook-and-loop fastener, a snapfastener, a rail fastener, a buckle, a cord stopper, a belt adjuster, aloop clutch, a snap button, and a button.

(Supplementary Note 66)

An imaging aid aiding imaging of a predetermined region of a surface ofan object having minute concave and convex portions and being subject tointense specular reflection, including:

a light source unit that irradiates light; and

a cover lid that has a shape to cover a predetermined region of asurface of the object, where

a part of a surface of the cover lid corresponding to a predeterminedangular range from a normal line direction directly opposing thepredetermined region is a black surface, and another surface of thecover lid corresponding to another angular range is made of alight-source surface diffusing and emitting light irradiated from thelight source unit.

(Supplementary Note 67)

The imaging aid according to supplementary note 66, where

-   -   the cover lid is provided with a mechanism for imaging the        predetermined region from the normal line direction, in the        black surface region.

(Supplementary Note 68)

The imaging aid according to supplementary note 66 or 67, where

-   -   a region to be the black surface is determined based on a        predetermined angular range that is determined with respect to a        normal line in a predetermined region of a textured pattern        surface of the object.

(Supplementary Note 69)

The imaging aid according to any one of supplementary notes 66-68, where

-   -   the angular range of the black surface region of the cover lid        is determined so that a degree of separation of a brightness        value of pixels in the predetermined region in an image obtained        by imaging of the textured pattern surface of the object or a        number of pixels having brightness equal to or below a        predetermined threshold value becomes a predetermined value.

(Supplementary Note 70)

The imaging aid according to any one of supplementary notes 66-69, where

-   -   the angular range of the black surface area is determined for        each article to be imaged,    -   the type of the article to be imaged is identified, without        depending on individual items, by characteristic appearance of        the article to be imaged, the appearance having a same pattern        of the same article, and    -   the imaging aid includes a mechanism to adjust the angular range        of the black surface area, to a predetermined value determined        to the type of the article.

(Supplementary Note 71)

The imaging aid according to any one of supplementary notes 66-70,

-   -   having a shape to fit to and fix a part including at least one        of a fastening part, a slide fastener, a bolt, a nut, and an        emblem.

(Supplementary Note 72)

The imaging aid according to any one of supplementary notes 66-71, where

-   -   the imaging aid has a shape to appropriately fit to the article        for each type of object to be imaged,    -   an area of a predetermined black surface region is set for each        article, and    -   the imaging aid is replaceable with respect to a camera.

(Supplementary Note 73)

An identification method comprising:

with at least a part of a skeleton part of an identification markattached to a component or a product defined as a matching area,identifying said component, said product, or a product having saidcomponent as one of its constituent elements using a textured patternformed in said matching area.

(Supplementary Note 74)

The identification method according to supplementary note 73,comprising:

with at least a part of a skeleton part of an identification markattached to a component or a product defined as a matching area, storingbeforehand an image feature of a textured pattern formed in saidmatching area;

acquiring an image feature of a textured pattern formed in a matchingarea in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to acomponent or a product to be identified, or in a skeleton part of acomponent that is one of constituent elements of a product to beidentified; and

matching said acquired image feature with said stored image feature, andidentifying said component, product, or product having said component asone of its constituent elements to be identified.

(Supplementary Note 75)

The identification method according to supplementary note 73 or 74,comprising: normalizing a captured image of said textured pattern formedin said matching area using a skeleton part of said identification mark,and acquiring an image feature of said textured pattern formed in saidmatching area.

(Supplementary Note 76)

The identification method according to any one of supplementary notes 73to 75, wherein:

said stored image feature is an image feature of an image obtained byimaging a textured pattern formed in a matching area in a skeleton partof an identification mark attached to said component or product underpredetermined illumination conditions, and

said image feature of a textured pattern formed in a matching area in askeleton part of an identification mark attached to said component orproduct to be identified, or in a skeleton part of said component thatis one of constituent elements of said product to be identified is animage feature acquired by imaging said textured pattern formed in amatching area in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached tosaid component or product to be identified, or in a skeleton part ofsaid component that is one of constituent elements of said product to beidentified under illumination conditions similar to said predeterminedillumination conditions.

(Supplementary Note 77)

The identification method according to any one of supplementary notes 73to 76, wherein:

said textured pattern is one formed by a mold, and

said method comprises:

storing, for each mold, an image feature of a textured pattern formed ina matching area in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached toat least one component or product out of a plurality of components orproducts formed with a textured pattern in a matching area in a skeletonpart of said identification mark by the same mold; and

performing identification of said component, product, or product havingsaid component as one of its constituent elements to be identified on amold-by-mold basis.

(Supplementary Note 78)

The identification method according to supplementary note 77, wherein:

said image feature for each mold is an image feature of an imagecapturing a texture of a mold with its brightness value reversed, and

said method matches said image feature having a reversed brightnessvalue with said image feature of a textured pattern formed in a matchingarea in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to saidcomponent or product to be identified, or in a skeleton part of saidcomponent that is one of constituent elements of said product to beidentified.

(Supplementary Note 79)

The identification method according to any one of supplementary notes 73to 76, comprising:

storing beforehand an image feature of a textured pattern formed in amatching area in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to acomponent or a product for each individual object of said component orsaid product; and performing identification of said component, product,or product having said component as one of its constituent elements tobe identified for each individual object of said component or saidproduct.

(Supplementary Note 80)

The identification method according to any one of supplementary notes 77to 79, comprising:

storing said image feature of a textured pattern formed in a matchingarea in a skeleton part of an identification mark attached to saidcomponent or product in correspondence with management information forsaid component, product, or product having said component as one of itsconstituent elements.

(Supplementary Note 81)

The identification method according to any one of supplementary notes 73to 80, comprising:

applying textured finish generating microscopic random bumps and dips ina matching area in a skeleton part of said identification mark andforming a textured pattern for matching during a manufacturing processfor said component or product.

(Supplementary Note 82)

The identification method according to supplementary note 81, wherein:

said textured finish is sand blasting, etching-based surface processing,or blasting coating.

(Supplementary Note 83)

An information acquisition and identification system including

image feature storage unit configured to store image feature of atextured pattern formed on a component or a product,

extracting unit configured to extract an image of an information displaybody and an image of the textured pattern from an image including atleast the information display body for displaying information on thecomponent, the product, or a product including the component as itscomponent and the textured pattern formed on the component or theproducts,

acquiring unit configured to acquire information on the component or theproducts from the extracted image of the information display body, and

identifying unit configured to identify the component, the product, orthe product including the component as its component by matching imagefeature of the extracted image of the textured pattern with imagefeature stored in the image feature storage unit.

(Supplementary Note 84)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 83,

wherein the textured pattern is formed in order to identify thecomponent, the product, or the product including the component as itscomponent.

(Supplementary Note 85)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 83 or 84,

wherein each dip and bump or granularity of each dip and bump of thetextured pattern is formed into a size smaller than a width of an edgeof a skeleton part of the information display body.

(Supplementary Note 86)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 85,

wherein the textured pattern is provided on each mold with predeterminedgranularity in order to identify a mold used in manufacturing, and

wherein each individual is processed, in order to identify the eachindividual manufactured by the same mold, with granularity smaller thanthe granularity for the each mold.

(Supplementary Note 87)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 84 to 86, further including

forming unit configured to form the textured pattern in order toidentify the component, the product, or the product including thecomponent as its component, and

image capturing unit configured to capture an image of the formedportion.

(Supplementary Note 88)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 87,

wherein the textured pattern is formed on a skeleton part of theinformation display body.

(Supplementary Note 89)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 88,

wherein the extracting unit configured to extracts the image of thetextured pattern by removing a high frequency component corresponding toa dip and bump of a textured pattern from the captured image and takinga difference between the captured image and an image captured that thehigh frequency component is removed.

(Supplementary Note 90)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 89,

wherein the captured image and images of image feature stored in theimage feature storage unit are to be captured under the same lightingconditions.

(Supplementary Note 91)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 90,

wherein an image is captured under the lighting conditions that aportion of a surface which is corresponding to a range within aprescribed angular range from a normal direction and facing to a formingsurface of the textured pattern in a covering portion is blacken, thecovering portion being formed so as to cover the forming surface of thetextured pattern, and that surfaces corresponding to a range withinanother angular ranges are set to light source area-including surfacesfor dispersing and emitting light received from a light source.

(Supplementary Note 92)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 91,

wherein the extracting unit normalizes the captured image by using theinformation display body.

(Supplementary Note 93)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 92,

wherein the information display body is identification information foridentifying an origin or each individual of the component, the product,or the product including the component as its component,

wherein the image feature storage unit stores the identificationinformation and image feature of the textured pattern formed on thecomponent, the product, or the product including the component as itscomponent in associated with each other, and

wherein the identifying unit identifies the component, the product, orthe product including the component as its component of a captured imageby matching the image feature of the textured pattern corresponding tothe identification information of the information display body acquiredfrom the captured image with the image feature of the textured patternextracted from the captured image.

(Supplementary Note 94)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 83 to 92,

wherein the image feature storage unit and the identifying unit areprovided in an identification server,

wherein the information display body is a URL of the identificationserver,

wherein the acquiring unit acquires the URL of the identification serverfrom the extracted image of the information display body and transmitsthe captured image or the extracted image of the textured pattern to theidentification server, and

wherein the identification server identifies the component, the product,or the product including the component as its component by using thecaptured image or the extracted image of the textured pattern.

(Supplementary Note 95)

An information acquisition and identification system including

image characteristics storage means storing image characteristics oftextured patterns formed on component or products,

extracting means extracting an image of an n-dimensional (n: naturalnumber) symbol and an image of a textured pattern from an imageincluding at least the n-dimensional symbol for displaying informationon a part, a product, or a product including the part as its componentand a textured pattern formed on the part or the products,

acquiring means acquiring information on the part or the products fromthe extracted image of the n-dimensional symbol, and

identifying means identifying the part, the product, or the productincluding the part as its component by matching image characteristics ofthe extracted image of the textured pattern with image characteristicsstored in the image characteristics storage means.

(Supplementary Note 96)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 95,

wherein the textured pattern is formed in order to identify the part,the product, or the product including the part as its component.

(Supplementary Note 97)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 95 or 96,

wherein the textured pattern is formed on a portion at a positiondetermined by the n-dimensional symbol.

(Supplementary Note 98)

An information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 97,

wherein granularity of the textured pattern is smaller than a short sideof a cell of the n-dimensional symbol.

(Supplementary Note 99)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 98,

wherein the textured pattern is formed on an area other than then-dimensional symbol.

(Supplementary Note 100)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 98,

wherein the textured pattern is provided on each die with predeterminedgranularity in order to identify a die used in manufacturing, and

wherein each individual is processed, in order to identify the eachindividual manufactured by the same die, with granularity smaller thanthe granularity at the time of processing the each die.

(Supplementary Note 101)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 100, further including

forming means forming the textured pattern in order to identify thepart, the product, or the product including the part as its component,and

image capturing means capturing an image of the formed portion.

(Supplementary Note 102)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 101,

wherein the extracting means extracts the image of the textured patternby removing a high frequency component corresponding to granularity of asatin finished surface from the captured image and taking a differencebetween the captured image and an image captured after the highfrequency component is removed.

(Supplementary Note 103)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 102,

wherein the captured image and images of image characteristics stored inthe image characteristics storage means are to be captured under thesame lighting conditions.

(Supplementary Note 104)

The information acquisition and identification system according tosupplementary note 103,

wherein an image is captured under the lighting conditions that aportion of a surface in a covering portion is blacken, the portion ofthe surface being corresponding to a range within a prescribed angularrange from a normal direction and facing to a forming surface of thetextured pattern, the covering portion being formed so as to cover theforming surface of the textured pattern, and that surfaces correspondingto a range within another angular ranges are set to light sourcearea-including surfaces for dispersing and emitting light received froma light source.

(Supplementary Note 105)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 104,

wherein the extracting means normalizes the captured image by using then-dimensional symbol.

(Supplementary Note 106)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 105,

wherein the n-dimensional symbol indicates identification informationfor identifying an origin or each individual of the part, the product,or the product including the part as its component,

wherein the image characteristics storage means stores theidentification information and image characteristics of the texturedpattern formed on the part, the product, or the product including thepart as its component after they are associated with each other, and

wherein the identifying means identifies the part, the product, or theproduct including the part as its component of a captured image bymatching the image characteristics of the textured pattern correspondingto the identification information of the n-dimensional symbol acquiredfrom the captured image with the image characteristics of the texturedpattern extracted from the captured image.

(Supplementary Note 107)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 106,

wherein the image characteristics storage means and the identifyingmeans are provided in an identification server,

wherein the n-dimensional symbol indicates a URL of the identificationserver,

wherein the acquiring means acquires the URL of the identificationserver from the extracted image of the n-dimensional symbol andtransmits the captured image or the extracted image of the texturedpattern to the identification server, and

wherein the identification server identifies the part, the product, orthe product including the part as its component by using the capturedimage or the extracted image of the textured pattern.

(Supplementary Note 108)

The information acquisition and identification system according to anyone of supplementary note 95 to 106,

wherein the n-dimensional symbol indicates at least one of a serialnumber, a name of manufacturer, a name of producer, a brand name, aproduct name, a product number, a rod number, and a URL.

(Supplementary Note 109)

A mobile terminal comprising:

a light source section;

a camera section;

a display section; and

a control section configured to, when a matching area of an object wherea satin pattern is created is imaged, superimpose and display areference image for imaging said matching area in a state where arelative position stance of said light source section, said camerasection and said matching area meets a predetermined relationship on athrough image to be displayed on the display section.

(Supplementary Note 110)

The mobile terminal according to supplementary note 109, wherein

said reference image is acquired from an image obtained by imaging saidmatching area in advance in a state where a relative position stance ofsaid light source section, said camera section and said matching areameets a predetermined relationship.

(Supplementary Note 111)

The mobile terminal according to supplementary note 109 or 110, wherein

said reference image is acquired from images obtained by imaging thematching area of the object in the same imaging condition using mobileterminals, at least one of positions of light sources and view angles ofcameras of which are different.

(Supplementary Note 112)

The mobile terminal according to any one of supplementary notes 109 to111, wherein

said reference image corresponding to the mobile terminal is acquiredfrom a database in which plural kinds of reference images are stored.

(Supplementary Note 113)

The mobile terminal according to c supplementary note 112, wherein

a reference image of each mobile terminal, and information about aposition of a light source and a view angle of a camera of a mobileterminal, at which each reference image is imaged, are associated andstored in said database.

(Supplementary Note 114)

The mobile terminal according to supplementary note 112, wherein

reference images used when the matching area of the object is imaged inthe same imaging condition by different models of mobile terminals arestored in said database according to a model of a mobile terminal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERAL

-   1 Imaging unit-   2 Product feature extraction unit-   3 Storage unit-   4 Imaging unit-   5 To-be-collated product feature extraction unit-   6 Collation/retrieval unit

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A method of an authenticity assessment comprising:receiving a brand name of a product; receiving at least one of image ofa portion on a surface of the product and a surface of a componentattached to the product, wherein the portion on the surface of a productincluding at least one of a trademark, a logotype, a brand name, aproduct name and a product number are marked, branded, pressed, orattached, wherein the component being at least one of fastener, a claspand a decorative part; determining authenticity of the product by usingthe image and the brand name; and resisting a date of the authenticityassessment, the brand name, and result of the determining in cases wherethe product is an authentic product.
 12. The method of the authenticityassessment according to claim 11, further comprising sending thedetermining result to a user's device, the determining result indicatingwhether the product is authentic.
 13. The method of the authenticityassessment according to claim 11, further comprising sending the brandname and date of the determining in cases where the product isauthentic.
 14. The method of the authenticity assessment according toclaim 11, wherein determining authenticity of the product from aconsistency between a result of analyzing the image and the brand name.15. The method of the authenticity assessment according to claim 11,determining the product as not authentic product in cases where theproduct is one of an imitation product, a false description, animitation product using another component fabricated by a regularcomponents dealer, and other product which have potential of camouflagedproduct.
 16. The method of the authenticity assessment according toclaim 11, wherein the product is a leather product.
 17. The method ofthe authenticity assessment according to claim 12, wherein the producthaving minute unevenness on the surface formed by a graining process.18. The method of the authenticity assessment according to claim 11,wherein the product is a bag or a wallet.
 19. The method of theauthenticity assessment according to claim 11, wherein material of thecomponent is at least one of metal, plastic, resin and leather.
 20. Themethod of the authenticity assessment according to claim 11, wherein theimage is captured by a mobile device with attachment.
 21. The method ofthe authenticity assessment according to claim 20, wherein, theattachment comprising a cover lid having a shape to cover a portion of asurface of an object.
 22. The method of the authenticity assessmentaccording to claim 20, wherein the mobile device is at least one ofsmartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet, and other device having a camerafunction.
 23. The method of the authenticity assessment according toclaim 20, wherein an image for supporting capturing image by user isdisplayed on the preview image of the mobile device.
 24. The method ofthe authenticity assessment according to claim 11, determiningauthenticity is provided by a service the internet.